The Bramble and The Hawk
by Darkeh
Summary: Bramblestar and Hawkstar have taken over the Clans, and as both their ambitions grow and a prophecy is whispered on every cats' lips, three apprentices realize they alone must return two Clans to four.
1. Allegiances

Allegiances

**BrambleClan**

**Leader - **Bramblestar - dark brown tabby tom with amber eyes

**Deputy - **Ashfur - pale gray (with darker flecks) tom, dark blue eyes

**Medicine Cat - **Leafpool - light brown tabby she-cat with amber eyes

**Apprentice, **Kestrelpaw

**Warriors - **Dustpelt - dark brown tabby tom

Sandstorm - pale ginger she-cat

**Apprentice, **Honeypaw

Cloudtail - long - haired white tom

**Apprentice, **Cinderpaw

Brackenfur - golden brown tabby tom

Sorreltail - tortoiseshell and white she-cat with amber eyes

Thornclaw - golden brown tabby tom

**Apprentice, **Poppypaw

Brightheart - white she-cat with ginger patches

Spiderleg - long limbed black tom with brown underbelly and amber eyes

Birchfall - light brown tabby tom

Graystripe - long haired gray tom

Ashfoot - gray she-cat

Crowfeather - dark gray tom

**Apprentice, **Heatherpaw

Owlwhisker - light brown tabby tom

Whitetail - small white she-cat

**Apprentice, **Breezepaw

Nightcloud - black she-cat

Weaselfur - ginger tom with white paws

**Apprentices - **Kestrelpaw - light brown tom

Honeypaw - light brown tabby she-cat

Cinderpaw - gray tabby she-cat

Poppypaw - tortoiseshell she-cat

Heatherpaw - pale brown tabby she-cat

Breezepaw - smoky black tom

Harepaw - brown tabby tom

**Queens - **Squirrelflight - dark ginger she-cat with green eyes, mother of Ashfur's kits, Firekit, Blackkit and Nightkit

Ferncloud - pale gray (with darker flecks) she-cat, green eyes, mother of Dustpelt's kits, Icekit and Foxkit

Whitewing - white she-cat with green eyes, mother of Thornclaw's kits, Pinekit and Maplekit

Gorsetail - very pale gray and white she-cat with blue eyes, mother of Sedgekit, Thistlekit and Swallowkit

**Elders - **Mousefur - small dusky brown she-cat

Longtail - pale tabby tom with dark black stripes, retired early due to failing sight

Morningflower - very old tortoiseshell queen

Webfoot - dark gray tabby tom

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**HawkClan**

**Leader - **Hawkstar - dark brown tabby tom with icy blue eyes

**Deputy - **Blackclaw - smoky black tom

**Medicine Cat - **Mothwing - dappled golden she-cat

**Apprentice, **Willowpaw

**Warriors - **Voletooth - small brown tabby tom

**Apprentice, **Minnowpaw

Reedwhisker - black tom

**Apprentice, **Pouncepaw

Mosspelt - tortoiseshell she-cat with blue eyes

**Apprentice, **Pebblepaw

Beechfur - light brown tom

Rippletail - dark gray tabby tom

Russetfur - dark ginger she-cat

Littlecloud - very small tabby tom

Oakfur - small brown tom

Rowanclaw - ginger tom

**Apprentice, **Ivypaw

Smokefoot - black tom

**Apprentice, **Owlpaw

Snowbird - pure white she-cat

Appletail - light brown tabby she-cat

Toadflight - silver tom

Marshwhisker - light brown tabby tom

**Apprentices - **Willowpaw - light gray she-cat

Minnowpaw - beautiful silver tabby she-cat

Pouncepaw - dark gray tabby tom

Pebblepaw - silver tabby tom

Ivypaw - ginger she-cat

Owlpaw - brown tom

**Queens - **Dawnflower - pale gray she-cat

Graymist - pale gray tabby, mother of Sneezekit and Mallowkit

Icewing - heavily pregnant she-cat with blue eyes

Tawnypelt - tortoiseshell she-cat, mother of Rowanclaw's kits, Dawnkit, Tigerkit and Flamekit

**Elders - **Heavystep - thickset tabby tom

Swallowtail - dark tabby she-cat

Stonestream - gray tom

Cedarheart - dark gray tom

Tallpoppy - long-legged light brown tabby she-cat


	2. Prologue

**Prologue**

_No, not again!_

Leafpool looked around her frantically, her eyes wide with fear. The forest around her was dark, with no stars or moon, and the only light came from the moss, glowing eerily in the night. She could easily remember the last time she had been here, the Place of No Stars, in her dream. She had found Tigerstar talking to his two sons, Brambleclaw and Hawkfrost. What if she came upon the ambitious tom again?

Leafpool began to creep slowly forward, her ears flattened against her head and her fur bristling. Her eyes darted from side to side cautiously, afraid that some evil cat from the old elder's tales would jump out of the undergrowth at any moment.

Suddenly, she stopped dead, raising her head to stare around her. She could hear voices coming from a break in the trees, and she recognized the scenery around her. Her eyes glittered with fear, and she knew that the same thing was happening as last time.

Stalking forward, she reached the familiar hollow, the boulder that looked exactly like Highrock placed at one end with Tigerstar seated on top, and Brambleclaw and Hawkfrost facing him at the other end. She crouched in a clump of ferns and pricked her ears, straining to hear what the former ShadowClan leader was saying.

"It is time, my sons," he was meowing, his voice just as Leafpool had remembered it. "Brambleclaw is now the deputy of ThunderClan, something the three of us have strived for since the beginning."

Tigerstar's fearsome amber eyes locked on the large tom who looked exactly like him.

"You must kill Firestar, Brambleclaw, get that spiteful kittypet out of the way. Kill Onestar, too. If you do, you will become the sole leader of BrambleClan." He turned to Hawkfrost.

"You will kill Mistyfoot. Leopardstar will be sure to give you the deputy position then," the ambitious tom continued, a malicious smile spreading across his face. "Then, you will kill her and Blackstar, and become the leader of HawkClan."

Leafpool gasped at Tigerstar's words, unable to think properly at the thought of the death of all four leaders, and stumbled backwards, snapping a twig loudly. All three toms turned to stare at the clump of ferns she was standing in.

Brambleclaw's eyes widened in shock, and perhaps fear, as he noticed her crouching frozen in the plants.

"Leafpool?" he gasped, then immediately shut his mouth, realizing he had alerted his father and half-brother to the medicine cat's presence.

"Leafpool is here?" Hawkfrost growled, his bulky form tensing. He turned to look at Tigerstar, who's mouth curved up in a smirk.

"Now is the chance to show me how you really fight," he hissed, his amber eyes fixed on Leafpool. "Attack her."

Brambleclaw stayed where he was, his paws glued to the ground and his eyes widened in horror as Hawkfrost rushed straight toward the tabby she-cat, his icy blue eyes glinting in the darkness.

Suddenly, a flash of tortoiseshell fur darted out of the undergrowth and pinned the dark tabby to the ground. Leafpool stared at the she-cat, unable to believe what she was seeing. It was Spottedleaf.

Hawkfrost struggled under the former medicine cat's grip, but she held the strength of a StarClan cat, and he was unable to escape. She ran thorn-sharp claws down his side before letting him escape. He darted away from her, his eyes wary as blood began to spurt from his wounds, while Brambleclaw stared at her in relief, and Tigerstar glared at her furiously.

"Don't count on always getting away with this, Spottedleaf," Tigerstar growled, his hackles raising. "One day, you will realize the Dark Forest is for cats like me, and _only _cats like me."

He unsheathed his claws, scraping them across the rock and creating four shallow gouges in the tough exterior. Spottedleaf ignored him, and instead touched her tail to Leafpool's shoulder.

"Come," she meowed gently. Leafpool followed gratefully, glad to escape the darkness of the strange forest and head back toward StarClan's familiar territory. Once the crossed the border, made of a strange misty substance, Spottedleaf turned to face her, curling her tail around her paws.

"That was a dangerous thing you did back there," she reprimanded gently, and Leafpool bowed her head in shame.

"I know," she mewed. "But I _had _to know what Tigerstar was doing with them."

Spottedleaf stared at her for a long time, every heartbeat seeming like an eternity. Finally, the tortoiseshell she-cat opened her mouth to speak.

"I must tell you something very important, Leafpool," she began. "Something that you must never repeat to anyone, not even Squirrelflight or your father."

Leafpool nodded slowly, although worry filled her eyes. What could be so restricted, that not even Firestar could know about it? But, she reminded herself, StarClan had told her she would follow a path greater than any medicine cat's. Could this be a part of it? As Spottedleaf leaned in closer, she held her breath, eager yet nervous to hear the former medicine cat's next words.

"_The fearsome tiger will rise again, bringing a storm fiercer than any other, and only fire in the blackest of nights can stop it."_

Leafpool stared at Spottedleaf in fear as she repeated the prophecy, and she felt an icy shiver of dread tingle down her spine. The _tiger _would rise again? Did that mean _Tiger_star.

She opened her mouth to ask the tortoiseshell she-cat, but she had disappeared into the bordering mist

"Spottedleaf!" the tabby medicine cat cried in despair. "Come back! Tell me more! What does it mean?"

She ran into the mist, and very soon she could not see a thing around her. She blinked in panic, and suddenly, she found herself back in the medicine cat's den. Her mossy nest was scattered everywhere, the clear signs of a restless night. She could still clearly feel the fear of her dream, and the ominous prophecy continuosly echoed in her head.

_The fearsome tiger will rise again, bringing a storm fiercer than any other, and only fire in the blackest of nights can stop it._

**A/N - So, there it is, the prologue. I do realize that my writing is terrible, since I'm always rushing things, and I'm not very descriptive. If anyone could give me any pointers on how to fix this, that would be greatly appreciated. All nice reviewers and constructive criticizers will be given a cookie, and flames will be used to burn Daisy to a crisp.**


	3. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

**A/N: Yay, another chapter! If I post another chapter, it will be the first time I will have posted over 3 chapters to story on FanFiction, even if the first chapter was the Allegiances:D I just realized that prophecy sounds kind of weird because the words fearsome and fierce are too close together, but I'll leave it as it is for now.**

**EyeOfTheTiger - Yay, something to burn Daisy with! holds Daisy up with one hand, then picks up flame and drops it on her and she burns to a crisp Mwahahahahahaha! Anyways, thanks! throws extra big cookie for being the first reviewer**

**Niah-Miyoki - Yeah, I know, but I was actually thinking of writing a story about this long before these types of stories really started getting popular. throws cookie**

**Dragonsoarer12 - Thanks! I know what you mean, it's kind of hard to be descriptive all the time, but I'm trying harder. Hopefully everybody thinks this chapter is better. throws cookie**

Firekit opened his piercing green eyes and blinked sleepily as he felt a small claw prodded him sharply in the side. Grunting irritably, he rolled over, coming face-to-face with his sister, Nightkit, who looked exactly like their father, Ashfur. She widened her dark blue eyes innocently, and he sighed, unable to get mad at her for waking him.

"Well, what do you know?" piped up a teasing voice from Firekit's other side. "Sleeping beauty has finally awoken!"

Blackkit, Firekit's brother, was watching him with amusement in his eyes. Firekit's flaming orange fur bristled and he hissed a playful challenge as his brother continued. "Well, it's true you know. You could sleep through a badger attack!"

The ginger tom leaped at Blackkit, pinning him to the ground and batting at him with his paws - his claws sheathed, of course. He couldn't imagine what Squirrelflight, their mother, would say if he actually hurt one of his siblings.

Blackkit heaved upward with all his strength, sending his brother flying across the nursery and straight into Whitewing's side, nearly bumping into her two newborn kits. Firekit scrambled to his paws and looked up at the white queen sheepishly.

"You three are getting too big for the nursery," she meowed, curling her tail closer around Pinekit and Maplekit, although there was a hint of laughter in her voice as she looked down at the moss-covered kit. "I hope Bramblestar makes you apprentices soon."

Firekit knew Whitewing would miss their presence in the nursery, as would the rest of the queens, although his fur tingled excitedly at the thought of finally becoming an apprentice. He had been dreaming about it ever since the three kits had reached their sixth moon. When he began training, he could finally show all of BrambleClan that he was worthy enough to bear the great Firestar's name. Although he hadn't heard much about him, Squirrelflight assured him every day that his grandfather had been a noble cat, who had died the death of a warrior.

Firekit was shaken out of his reverie as Squirrelflight appeared through the bramble entrance to the nursery. When she saw the mess her three kits had created, she looked down at them disapprovingly, and they shrunk under her gaze.

"Sorry, Squirrelflight," Blackkit mumbled, huddled up against his two siblings. "We were just having fun. It's so boring in here!"

Squirrelflight sighed. "Great StarClan, why did I get stuck with you three?" she asked, and as she looked down at them her eyes softened. "How about you play outside and leave the queens in peace for awhile?"

"Yes, Squirrelflight," Blackkit mewed, and he obediently marched out of the nursery, Nightkit and Firekit trailing behind. Firekit shivered as he was hit by the cool newleaf air. His fur was still nursery soft, and it would take him a few suns to get used to the cold air.

Nightkit sat down in the well-trodden grass, and her brothers quickly followed suit. For a few heartbeats, all three of them stayed silent, looking about the camp. After a long moment, Firekit sighed, breaking the peace.

"What are we supposed to do?" he asked, commencing yet another thoughtful silence between the three kits as the camp bustled around them. Suddenly, Nightkit brightened, and Blackkit and Firekit looked at her hopefully.

"We can hear a story from the elders!" she announced cheerfully. Her two brothers groaned, and the gray she-cat deflated in front of them.

"We've heard every single story a thousand times," Blackkit pointed out, and Firekit nodded in agreement. They had gotten into trouble many times, and had always been sent to work for the elders as a punishment. As they had picked out ticks and changed bedding, wistfully remembering what it felt like to play, the elders had rambled on about how Firestar and Bluestar had done this, and how Tigerstar and Brokenstar had done that. They had heard the story of the Great Journey so many times, they had memorized it.

"There's got to be at least _one _we haven't heard yet," Nightkit pleaded, being the only one who enjoyed listening to the stories. She glanced at Firekit and Blackkit hopefully, and finally they sighed and gave in.

"Fine," Blackkit meowed. "But if they tell us the story of the Great Journey one more time, I think I'm going to rip my tail off."

Nightkit bounced happily toward the elder's den, Firekit and Blackkit padding regretfully after her. Firekit couldn't believe they had given into their sister yet again, just like they always had. Maybe it was because she was a she-cat, and the two brothers, being toms, felt the need to protect her. Or maybe it was just because they couldn't bear to see their sister sad. Whatever it was, Firekit, realized, Nightkit always seemed to get her way.

"Morningflower, we want to hear a story!" Nightkit called eagerly the moment they stepped into the den. The ancient tortoiseshell she-cat lifted her head and smiled when she spotted the three oldest kits. As she heaved herself slowly to her paws, Firekit imagined he could hear her old bones creaking. Every cat worried about her, and they knew she would go off to hunt with StarClan any day now.

"Well, what kind of story?" she asked, her eyes twinkling. "Perhaps about the Great Journey? Or of the brave Firestar, battling against BloodClan?"

Firekit's ears pricked at the sound of his grandfather's name, but Nightkit shook her head.

"No, we've heard all those," the spotted gray kit mewed. "Something… _new."_

Morningflower stared down at the three of them for a moment, and Firekit thought he saw a flicker of fear in her eyes. She looked warily at the other elders, and all but Webfoot and Mousefur, who were bickering quietly over a piece of fresh-kill, shook their heads vigorously. Morningflower sighed.

"There is only one story left to tell," she meowed slowly. "The story of the four Clans."

"_Four _Clans?" Blackkit interrupted in amazement. Nightkit glared at him irritably, but he ignored her. "I thought there had always been two!"

The old queen shook her head. "Merely five seasons ago, four Clans lived in this forest. WindClan, crafty and swift, led by Onestar. ThunderClan, brave and strong, led by Firestar. RiverClan, clever and tough, led by Leopardstar, and ShadowClan, mysterious and proud, led by Blackstar. The cats in these Clans were descended from a long line of cats, all the way back to Windstar, Thunderstar, Riverstar and Shadowstar, just as you three are."

"The four Clans thrived once they came here," she continued, "though they missed the old forest. I was of WindClan. We lived on the moors, ThunderClan here, in this very hollow, ShadowClan in the pine forest, and RiverClan by the river."

"One day, Firestar was caught in a fox trap that tightened around his neck. It ripped away all 5 of the lives he had left instantly. Bramblestar became ThunderClan's leader, and appointed your father as deputy. A moon later, Mistyfoot, the deputy of RiverClan was murdered, and Hawkstar took her place. Leopardstar died soon after. She had been getting on in age, but she wasn't old enough to die from natural causes." Morningflower's eyes hardened.

"Too soon afterwards, both Onestar and Blackstar, young leaders with nearly all their lives left, died. Hawkstar and Bramblestar decided that Ashfoot and Russetfur weren't fit to lead their own Clans, and so took over. WindClan and ThunderClan became BrambleClan, and RiverClan and ShadowClan became HawkClan." As the elder continued, their was a suspicious edge to her voice.

"Bramblestar and Hawkstar aren't to be trusted. I believe they-" She was cut off as a deep, menacing voice sounded from the entrance to the den.

"You believe what, Morningflower?" Bramblestar hissed, his fur bristling. Morningflower stared at the leader fearfully, and shrank back into her mossy nest.

"Bramblestar, I didn't-"

"I don't care," Bramblestar snapped. "Ashfur! Cloudtail!"

The two toms appeared in the entrance to the den obediently. Ashfur had a malicious look to him, while Cloudtail shifted on his paws uncomfortably, so unlike his usually fiery attitude.

"Take Morningflower to my den," the tabby tom ordered. Both warriors nodded, and Ashfur grabbed the elder by the scruff. Cloudtail followed reluctantly, making sure the tortoiseshell couldn't somehow break free and run.

"No!" Morningflower screeched loudly as she was dragged off. "Please, no! I don't want to end up like Daisy and her kits! StarClan, help me!"

Firekit, Nightkit and Blackkit watched fearfully, huddled together for protection from the furious leader, who was glaring at the ranks of elders in the den.

"Let this be a warning to you all," he growled. "Never tell the story of the four Clans again, or you will face the same fate as poor Morningflower."

With that, Bramblestar whipped around and stalked back in the direction of the Highledge, to give Morningflower her punishment.

**A/N: For all of you that loved Morningflower, I'm sorry, but I had to somehow demonstrate how savage the Clans have become. And she was really old, too, she's been alive forever. She's **_**ancient.**_


	4. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

**Wow, I actually got 7 reviews for the last chapter alone, which surprises me a lot, considering… well… me. Anyways, school is really starting to get back in gear after the holidays this week, and I have a million projects, so don't count on me updating as soon as you all would have liked.**

**Tigerstar-Demon - XD, yeah, I'm even mad at myself for doing that, but I really doubt Squirrelflight would take the cat who murdered her father as a mate.**

**Aximilli2 - Poor, poor Morningflower. I loved her and her ancientness.**

**missin-yuh-mozart - XD, I would love to see something like that. I like Brambleclaw in the actual books, too, but in this story… well, I can't say anything more. That would give it away.**

**EyeOfTheTiger - Ahhhhh! I'll update, just don't do something to me!**

**Cloudfire - Yeah, BrambleClan territory is made up of ThunderClan and WindClans territory, although I suppose your right about the camp. It would be a little small, wouldn't it?**

**sacredpools - o.O, or else? What exactly does 'or else' mean?**

… **- I would tell you why Bramblestar is so OOC and evil, but that would give away part of the plot**

"Ashfur says our apprentice ceremony is today at sunhigh," Blackkit meowed as he approached Firekit and Nightkit, although there was not even a trace of excitement in his voice, and his siblings merely nodded in acknowledgment. All three of them were thinking about the scene they had witnessed the day before.

Blackkit sighed and sat down in the mossy nest, replaying the way Morningflower had been dragged so roughly out of the elder's den, as frail and vulnerable as she was. The words she had screeched before she had disappeared sent a shiver down his spine, although he didn't quite understand them.

"Who were Daisy and her kits?" he asked suddenly, causing the two other thought-engrossed kits to look up at him. Firekit shrugged, and Nightkit sighed, as if she knew something she wasn't telling them.

"Honeypaw told me once that Daisy was a cat who used to live in the Clan, but she and her kits came from horseplace," she meowed quietly. "She said that because they weren't of pure Clan blood, Bramblestar… killed them. He tried to kill three other cats, too, Stormfur, Millie and Brook, but they all escaped."

Grief enveloped Blackkit like a blanket and made him feel as if he could hardly breath. His legs began to tremble violently, and he noticed Nightkit was looking at him strangely, as if she didn't realize what had just passed through him. Firekit was staring at him with the exact same expression as his own.

"Nightkit," he mewed quietly. "I… I think Bramblestar might have killed Morningflower because she told us the story of the four Clans."

"Then it's all our fault!" Firekit yowled suddenly, his voice filled with anguish. Every cat in the nursery was staring at him oddly, and the ginger tom shrank into the moss, realizing how much attention he had attracted. Blackkit knew he usually only spoke to his two siblings and his parents, but even those incidents were very rare, and he always whispered. To hear him yell something loud enough for every cat around to be able to listen in was taken very seriously.

Squirrelflight padded over to them from where she had been sharing tongues with Ferncloud, her eyes filled with concern.

"What was your fault?" she asked Firekit gently, but after his outburst, he refused to speak, and she had to direct her attention to Blackkit instead. Blackkit felt slightly proud that his mother was relying on him, but there was no time for self-confidence when he remembered what he had to explain.

"Yesterday," he began slowly. "When we asked Morningflower to tell us a new story, she said there was only one left she hadn't told us already, and that was the story of the four Clans. But Bramblestar got mad at her for telling it to us, and he… he killed her, Mom! If we hadn't asked her to tell us a story, then Bramblestar would never have heard her say it!"

Blackkit rushed forward and buried his muzzle in his mother's soft fur, inhaling her comforting scent. Squirrelflight's muscles tensed at the mention of Bramblestar, as if there was something going on between them, but he barely noticed.

"It is not your fault, no more than it is Icekit's or Foxkit's," she meowed gently, but then her voice hardened. "If anything, it is Bramblestar's fault. We should be allowed to tell you the truth about where you really come from. We aren't savages, like he wants us to be."

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Blackkit stared nervously about at the crowd of cats that had gathered below the Highledge to observe the ceremony. He could feel the tension crackling in the air like lightning, and maybe even fear. Every cat in the Clan had been aroused by Morningflower's ruthless murder, but they knew they couldn't even consider revolting, as Bramblestar and his half-brother, Hawkstar, had many aggressive supporters who weren't afraid to kill.

"I have two ceremonies to perform today," Bramblestar announced loudly, silencing the quiet murmurings that had echoed throughout the Clan. "Blackkit, Firekit, Nightkit, step forward."

The three apprentices obediently stepped to the edge of the rock, their legs trembling slightly. Any of these cats could become their mentors, but knowing Bramblestar, they would most likely be his supporters, or as some of the cats called them, his elite warriors.

"From this day forward, until they have earned their warrior names, these apprentices will be called Blackpaw, Firepaw and Nightpaw," he began. "Dustpelt, you trained Squirrelflight well, and you are ready for your next apprentice. You will begin Blackpaw's training. I expect you to pass on all you learned from Redtail and Darkstripe to this young apprentice, and share with him the skills you have learned."

As Blackpaw stepped forward to touch noses with his mentor, he wasn't surprised that the tabby tom had been chosen. Dustpelt, though a noble and honorable cat, supported most of Bramblestar's actions strongly. He wasn't sure how the senior warrior felt about Morningflower's recent death, although he could see uncertainty in his eyes as he nodded to his leader.

"Spiderleg, you are ready for your first apprentice," Bramblestar continued. You will begin Firepaw's training. I expect you to pass on all you learned from Mousefur, and share with him the skills you have learned."

"Weaselfur, you are ready for your first apprentice. You will begin Nightpaw's training. I expect you to pass on all you learned from Webfoot, and share with her the skills you have learned."

The large tom paused as the six cats greeted each other properly and leaped back down into the hollow to rejoing thier Clanmates. Blackpaw, Nightpaw and Firepaw were all greeted warmly by the current apprentices, but Blackpaw could see extra excitement in Honeypaw, Poppypaw and Cinderpaw's eyes, making him wonder if this was their warrior ceremony.

"Cinderpaw, Honeypaw, Poppypaw, step forward," Bramblestar meowed, and Blackpaw's eyes glittered happily as he realized he was right.

"I, Bramblestar, leader of BrambleClan, call upon our warrior ancestors to look down on these three apprentices. They have trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend them to you as warriors in their turn. Cinderpaw, Honeypaw, Poppypaw, do you promise to defend and protect this Clan, even at the cost of your lives?"

All three replied loudly and confidently, their voices ringing around the camp. "I do."

"Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior names. Cinderpaw, from this moment on you will be known as Cinderheart. StarClan honors your energy and your courage, and we welcome you as a full warrior of BrambleClan."

"Honeypaw, from this moment on you will be known as Honeyfur. StarClan honors your bravery and your strength, and we welcome you as a full warrior of BrambleClan."

"Poppypaw, from this moment on, you will be known as Poppyleaf. StarClan honors your power and determination, and we welcome you as a full warrior of BrambleClan."

Bramblestar rested his muzzle on each she-cat's shoulder, and they all licked his shoulder respectfully in turn. Blackpaw felt a ripple pass through the Clan, the traditional words that had been spoken for so many seasons comforting them in this dark time. A chant began to rise among the ranks of cats, and the three new apprentices quickly added their voices to the throng.

"Cinderheart! Honeyfur! Poppyleaf!"

**A/N - I do realize this is a bit of a filler, and it's really short, even though the ceremonies are important, so, I promise you, there will be much more action in the next chapter. Stay tuned!**


	5. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

**I am so sorry to all of you, my loyal readers and reviewers, for not updating for such a long time. I had a huge bout of writer's block, and I thought I might even have to discontinue the story already. But, after 10 minutes of staring at a blank Microsoft Word page, I finally started to write, and I now present to you the finished product - and the replies, of course.**

**Niah-Miyoki - Thanks! Well, that is if I do end it. Most of the time I get bored of my stories in the middle or get writer's block and stop writing, but I'm determined not to discontinue this one.**

**EyeOfTheTiger - Bramblestar will probably stay evil until the very end, when his little secret is revealed. What is that secret, you ask? Well, you'll just have to keep on reading.**

**Tigerstar-Demon - I love Blackpaw, too, he reminds me of Lionpaw for some reason:D Anyways, don't worry, Bramblestar will get much eviler over the course of the story. About Squirrelflight and Leafpool, though… I've never thought of that. Perhaps I shall include something like that in the next chapter. - laughs evilly -**

**The Awesomeness of Moosey - Thanks! Hopefully I'll be able to update soon.**

**Pinkpelt the Crack Butterfly - Well, I had to demonstrate how evil Bramblestar had become somehow, didn't I? About Daisy, well, she just irks me. She's too soft. They should send her back to the horseplace where she belongs. Berrypaw, Mousepaw and Hazelpaw are awesome, though.**

Nightpaw stared out in amazement at the vast expanse of moorland before her, her eyes so wide they looked like two dark blue moons. She shivered as a fierce gust of wind buffeted her fur, and she remembered that the Clan called WindClan had once lived here. Now she knew why they had been named that.

Her paws itched to race ahead of the patrol, which consisted of her, Blackpaw, Firepaw and all three of their mentors. It would be much easier to run across the windswept hills, but she restrained herself with a little difficulty.

Dustpelt's ears flattened against his head as they began to leave the shelter of the trees, and Weaselfur proudly took the lead, his stride springier and his posture more relaxed than it had been in the forest.

"The HawkClan border his over there," he announced, flicking his tail casually toward the horseplace. Suddenly, he froze and tasted the air, his fur bristling.

"At least it's supposed to be," Nightpaw heard him mutter fiercely, causing the rest of the patrol to test the air for themselves. Nightpaw pulled back in disgust as she caught the strong, vile scent of what she guessed was HawkClan laid out on the ground before her. She had no idea what this meant, although she could tell it was bad, for all three warriors had hard looks in their eyes.

"They're trying to steal our territory again," Spiderleg hissed, his fur bristling, and realization dawned on the three apprentices, who had been standing there, dumbfounded.

"The scent is fresh - they must be somewhere nearby," came Dustpelt's growl, and he turned to the apprentices.

"Which of you is the fastest?" he demanded, and Nightpaw knew he wasn't asking so they could fool around and argue about the verdict. She and Blackpaw both immediately pointed their tails at Firepaw, who glared at them.

"Firepaw, run back to camp as fast as you can and tell Bramblestar to send reinforcements. _Now,_" Dustpelt ordered. The ginger tom nodded and darted off, but not before he shot furious glance at his siblings.

The rest of the cats watched him go, anxiety prickling between them. Nightpaw willed her brother on silently in her mind, hoping somehow he would feel it and run faster.

"Well, well, well, look what we have here. Intruders."

Nightpaw spun around to see three cats glaring at them. She had no idea who these strange warriors were, but judging by their scent, they were from HawkClan. Nightpaw and Blackpaw bristled their fur and spat at the small patrol, making the leader, a lithe black tom, turn and smile at them smugly.

"Blackclaw," Dustpelt hissed furiously. "Do you really believe that you could beat us with only three of your warriors?"

The two cats behind Blackclaw, a black tom and a tortoiseshell she-cat, shifted uncomfortably on their paws, but the HawkClan deputy continued to smile.

"You seem to have underestimated our numbers, Dustpelt," he hissed icily. "HawkClan isn't as mouse-brained as you think. And we want this territory for ourselves."

Nightpaw's eyes widened in fear as a dozen large muscular cats appeared behind Blackclaw's patrol. How was she, an untrained apprentice, supposed to fight fifteen battle-ready warriors? _Firepaw had better get back soon._

The two parties stared at each other for what seemed like an eternity, their eyes locked, their fur bristling and their lips pulled back in over a dozen ferocious snarls. The grey she-cat realized that these might be the last peaceful heartbeats she would ever experience, for she knew that HawkClan was not afraid to kill.

"_Attack!_" Dustpelt and Blackclaw yowled at the same time, and the moorland erupted into a flurry of flying teeth and claws. Nightpaw leaped onto the back of the smallest warrior in the crowd, a light brown tom, and dug her claws into his pelt.

The tom twirled around, trying to dislodge her from his back, but her grip only became firmer, making him yowl in pain. She leaned down, trying to bite the back of his neck, when the largest ginger tom Nightpaw had ever seen appeared and knocked her off her victim's back with a twitch of his paw.

Nightpaw crumpled to the ground, shivering in fear as the tom loomed over her, a malicious glint in his eyes. She could see that the small patrol was being driven farther back onto BrambleClan territory by the HawkClan warriors. It was hopeless. Closing her eyes tightly, she waited for the inevitable moment when the enemy warrior's bone white teeth would sink into her throat…

Suddenly, a loud yowl sounded from behind her, and she opened her eyes, recognizing Bramblestar's battle cry. Taking advantage of the warrior's momentary distraction, she raked her claws down his soft belly, making him leap away. He glared at her as she yowled briefly in triumph.

Finding Blackpaw and Firepaw among the mass of fighting cats, the three of them raced toward each other, panting heavily after their separate battles. Nightpaw could see blood trickling down the side of Blackpaw's face from a large gash, and sweat had darkened Firepaw's coat to auburn. She gasped at the sight of them.

"What happened to you?" she asked, barely able to contain her fear for them. But before either could answer, Dustpelt approached, his fur falling off in ragged clumps and his dark brown tabby coat matted with blood.

"Go back to camp, you three," he ordered, his voice still full of it's usual pride and confidence, despite his condition. Nightpaw opened her mouth to protest, but was quickly silenced as Firepaw stuffed his tail in her mouth.

"Yes, Dustpelt," Blackpaw replied for them. Nightpaw glared at him as he began to herd them back toward the hollow and away from the bloody scene behind them.

**A/N - I apologize for the shortness of this chapter, but it was very difficult to write for some reason. I just couldn't think properly. I also apologize if this chapter is terrible.**


	6. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

**I am soooooo sorry it has taken me such a long time to update, but I've been extremely busy. My 13****th**** birthday was last week, so I was really too excited to write anything, and then we switched semesters, so I've also been busy adjusting to new teachers, and I've had to practice playing my clarinet, which I got only two days ago when we started music. Wow, talk about a run-on sentence…**

**Pinkpelt the Crack Butterfly - Well, do you really expect Dustpelt to let them fight when they don't even know how to yet? XD**

**Tigerstar-Demon - o.o, Bramblestar rape Nightpaw? You're the most evil person I've ever heard of in my life. :P Perhaps I'll let HawkClan win the battle just for you and your evilness. And don't worry, someone dies in this chapter.**

**Gladewing - Thanks! Maybe I'll check out your story and give it some reviews myself **

**Cloudfire - Well, mostly because they just keep getting more and more ambitious. Bramblestar wants Hawkstar's territory, Hawkstar wants Bramblestar's territory, and both of them want to rule over all four Clans instead of just two.**

"Hello, Nightpaw."

The she-cat whipped around in astonishment at the voice, which sounded so familiar, yet so strange. Standing before her was a huge dark tabby tom with amber eyes that glittered ambitiously - just like Bramblestar. Nightpaw felt a shiver run down her spine.

The sky above her was black, but it had no stars, nor a moon. The forest floor was barren of any undergrowth, although large patches of eerie glowing moss clung to the rocks and the trees, the only source of light in this dark territory.

"Wh-who are you?" she stuttered in fear. "Where am I?"

The tom smiled coldly, making Nightpaw's entire body tremble.

"This is the Place of No Stars - the opposite of StarClan, where you walk your own path in the darkness for eternity. I am Tigerstar."

Her dark blue eyes stretched wide. _Tigerstar died before my mother was even born, _she reassured herself. _This can't be him. He's lying._ _Unless…_

Even Nightpaw's thoughts trailed of in fright. This cat who claimed to be Tigerstar wasn't lying at all. This was a dream, and anything could happen in dreams.

"I am very proud of you, Nightpaw. You fought like a warrior in that battle."

The grey she-cat sat up proudly at the dark tom's words. It didn't matter to her that she was receiving praise from Tigerstar, a cat who she had associated with pure evil for her entire life. She was just glad that, unlike Dustpelt, someone thought she could fight.

"I could teach you much," Tigerstar continued, his amber eyes unblinking as he watched her. "But first you must promise me something."

Nightpaw nodded immediately. If the former leader of ShadowClan taught her how to fight, she could become the greatest warrior in BrambleClan - no, not just BrambleClan. The greatest warrior around the lake.

"Promise me this. Promise me you will always be loyal to Bramblestar, no matter what he does, no matter who he kills. And promise me that if either of your brothers speak a single foul word about him, you will teach them that he is great," Tigerstar hissed.

"But what about Morningflower?" Nightpaw protested. "What about Daisy and her kits?"

Tigerstar smiled that same cold smile.

"It was for the good of the Clan," he meowed. "Morningflower was old - older than I. Daisy was a kittypet, and did nothing but lie in the nursery and waste fresh-kill. They both deserved to die." The young she-cat nodded slowly.

"It was for the good of the Clan," she repeated in agreement. She understood what Tigerstar meant. Both she-cats had been a burden to the Clan, and so they had to die. Pushing away the doubt that flickered in her mind, she looked up at the dark tom expectantly.

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An eerie wail of grief jolted Nightpaw unceremoniously from her sleep. The grey she-cat blinked open her eyes anxiously. What about Tigerstar? What about the things he had said he would teach her?

_I will educate you tonight, _the dead leader's voice echoed in her ear. _For now you must attend to your mother._

"My mother?" Nightpaw asked the voice, but Tigerstar was gone.

"Have you decided to start talking to yourself, Nightpaw?" snorted an ungracious voice from the other side of the apprentice's den.

"Shut your mouse-hole, Breezepaw," she snapped at the black apprentice, who glared at her.

"I don't suppose you know what that horrible noise was, do you?" he hissed mockingly, although Nightpaw knew that he had no idea what it had been either.

"No, in fact, I don't," she retorted, before turning away from the grumpy apprentice and stalking outside. What she saw made her freeze in her tracks.

In the center of camp lay the mangled body of Squirrelflight, blood seeping out of a wound on the back of her neck. The foul stench of death reached Nightpaw's nostrils, and she saw that her father, Leafpool, Sandstorm, and her brothers were already crouched around her.

"Well, what's going on?" Breezepaw hissed in her ear before pushing past. As he saw the warrior's body, he too stopped dead.

"Squirrelflight!" the grey she-cat screeched, shaking off the shock and rushing forward to join her family in their vigil.

"Go safely, mother," she whispered, her muzzle buried in the blood-stained ginger fur. She then realized what Tigerstar had meant when he had told her to attend to her mother.

"Squirrelflight was a great warrior. We will never forget her," Bramblestar meowed simply from somewhere nearby, and Nightpaw thought she heard a hint of malice in his voice. What could have possibly happened between Bramblestar and Squirrelflight that made them hate each other as much as they had, she wondered through all her grief.

Nightpaw looked up sullenly as she felt a nudge in her side, and saw that Breezepaw was standing over her.

"You have to let the rest of the Clan share tongues with her," he meowed quietly. Was that _sympathy_ she saw in his eyes? No, it wasn't possible for Breezepaw to feel anything but stubborn arrogance. She knew that at least.

Getting shakily to her paws, she stared at him for a moment before moving herself about a tail-length from her mother's body.

_Oh, Tigerstar, _she thought. _How am I ever supposed to keep your promise if Squirrelflight is dead?_

**A/N: I realize that this is a really short and crappy chapter. You must all be mad at me, for giving you this monstrosity after not updating for so long. Well, all I can say is, feel free to throw darts at a poster of my face, as long as it isn't my actual face.**


	7. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

**I know you all must want to kill me now, since I haven't updated in so long, and I don't blame you. I don't even have an excuse this time. I just didn't feel like writing anything! XD. Now, if you all put away your harpoon guns and pitchforks, I can get on with the replies without any major injuries.**

**EyeOfTheTiger - How dare you get hooked on a series other than Warriors! No, I'm joking. Maybe I'll check out a Maximum Ride book, since you make it sound so great.**

**Tigerstar-Demon - Ow! -is whipped- Okay, okay, I'll put in more evilness, as long as I don't get whipped anymore!**

**Qzil - w00t! You gotta love the evil kitties!**

**Lightkit - ACK! Don't kill me! I'm too young to die! -stares at chainsaw fearfully-**

**Niah-Miyoki - Yeah, Squirrelflight annoys me, too. Don't tell Lightkit, but I was glad to kill her off.**

**Cloudfire - Well, Brambley is happy about Squirrelflight's death because when he went evil, Squirrelflight dumped his furry butt for Ashfur and had kits with him.**

Blackpaw stared down at his paws, scrutinizing them carefully. Grief still clouded his eyes, and his entire body was slumped. It was as if his mother's death had destroyed all the excitement and eagerness inside of him.

"Blackpaw, are you even watching me?"

The young tom looked up to see Dustpelt staring at him reprimendingly. Blackpaw shrunk even more, trying to escape his mentor's scalding eyes. The senior warrior had been teaching him how to stalk various types of prey, but his attention had wandered.

"Y-Yes, Dustpelt," he stuttered, not wanting to receive a punishment for not paying attention.

"Then show me how to properly stalk a mouse."

Blackpaw stared back at the dark brown tabby for a few heartbeats before taking a deep breath and dropping down into a hunting crouch. He began to move forward clumsily, his paws pounding loudly on the ground, his pace much too quick. A loud _crack_ sounded in the apprentice's ears, and he winced as he realized he had stepped on a twig.

"That's enough!" Dustpelt called. Blackpaw flattened his ears against his head and padded back to his mentor with a sheepish look on his face. Dustpelt sighed quietly and flicked his tail over the black tom's ear.

"What's gotten into you today? Is there something wrong?"

Blackpaw shook his head vigorously, though he felt a sharp hand clench at his heart. Was his angst really so obvious?

"It's nothing," he muttered quietly. Dustpelt watched him for what seemed like an eternity, seeming to inspect every inch of him. Finally, he stepped back, and the young apprentice thought he saw something flicker in those amber eyes, something he'd thought he would never see in the eyes of one of Bramblestar's supporters - sympathy.

It was a beautiful late newleaf day. The leaves had burst out of their buds, and many of the plants were in full bloom. The air had a fresh taste to it, and most animals were emerging gratefully from their long winter rest. A hedgehog lumbered clumsily nearby as it attempted to avoid the two cats, but Blackpaw was too distracted to notice any of this.

"You're still sad about Squirrelflight, aren't you?" he asked. Blackpaw felt the grief creep up on him again, sending a shiver down his spine. But he continued to shake his head and stare down at his paws.

"No."

Dustpelt sighed quietly, as if he too were suffering from woe. He looked quietly up at his mentor, and confirmed what he had heard.

"Squirrelflight was my apprentice once, just like you are," he meowed, and his eyes clouded over as if he were remembering a time moons ago. He stayed like this for a mere heartbeat before snapping back to his normal self.

"Now, I'm going to show you how to stalk a mouse one more time. If you don't get it right, I'm giving up on you."

The tabby warrior paced forward and dropped into a crouch. He began to stalk across the forest floor, as silent as if he were walking on a cloud. The only movement on his body came from his legs and his eyes as they wavered on a small leaf. He stopped completely as he neared it, tensed his muscles and darted forward. In a flash, his paw had reached out and torn the helpless leaf to shreds. Dustpelt turned back to Blackpaw, his whiskers twitching. "Now you try it."

Blackpaw took a deep breath and stepped forward, though he was much more confident after his brief chat with his mentor. He repeated the movement, if not a little lopsidedly, ripping another leaf into tiny pieces with his claws. Dustpelt's face was expressionless, although his tail tip twitched slightly.

"That was much better," he meowed simply. Blackpaw beamed.

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An uncomfortable churning in Blackpaw's stomach woke him from his sleep that night. It felt as if the claws of some tiny monster had crawled inside of him and torn everything to pieces.

_I guess Cinderheart was right about that rabbit, _he thought, a little sheepishly. _I'd better go see Leafpool._

The moment he tried to stand, his stomach twisted painfully, and he winced, falling back into his nest. He took a deep breath and, his teeth clenched, he managed to upright himself. The young apprentice staggered toward the entrance, manoeuvring awkwardly around the den's other occupants.

He was about to step out into the hollow when he came upon a sight that made him stop dead and stifle a horrified gasp.

Near the medicine cat's den, Bramblestar's bulky form had pinned Leafpool's much smaller one to the ground, and Blackpaw could see his amber eyes glinting maliciously from the other side of camp.

"You _will_ make Kestrelpaw a full medicine cat at the next half moon," Bramblestar hissed. "Unless you want to end up like your poor sister."

Leafpool snarled furiously and began to struggle, but the dark leader held her down.

"You can't fool me, Bramblestar," the medicine cat spat in his face. "This is just like the stories about Yellowfang. Once I've made Kestrelpaw a full medicine cat, you will kill me anyways."

Bramblestar smirked. "You know me too well, Leafpool."

"What did I ever do to you?" she growled. "Why do you want to kill me?"

Blackpaw saw Bramblestar's eyes flash with malice yet again. "You are the last one left to know the truth, Leafpool," he hissed. "I know you will tell someone eventually. And so you must die."

Still watching, Blackpaw felt his stomach clench more painfully than it ever had before. He buckled over and let out a yowl that seemed loud enough for even HawkClan to hear. Before he even knew what was happening, everything around him had turned black and he had fallen unconscious.


	8. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

**Wow, I'm actually updating within the week for once! Anyways, this story won't be updated again until next Monday at the least because I'm leaving for my aunt's on Tuesday and coming back on Sunday. You gotta love March Break. :P**

**Qzil - Yeah, I know, that was waaaaay too short. I'll try to make my chapters longer from now on, but there's no guarantees.**

**Niah-Miyoki - I like Leaf**_**paw**_**, but not Leafpool. Leafpool is just too Mary-Sueish and she moons over Crowfeather way too much. Ugh.**

**Silverstorm of RiverClan - lol, thanks. I'll update as soon as I can. Hopefully I don't get bored again!**

**Foxstar24 - Don't worry, Leafpool won't die. She's going to escape from evil little Brambley. I was considering making Firepaw a mute, but I decided against it.**

**EyeOfTheTiger - o.O, rabid squirrels? XD Don't worry, Leafpool isn't going to die. She's going to run away.**

**Song of the Wild - Meep! -stares at kunai fearfully- Okay, I'll update! Just don't kill me!**

**Tawnyleaf - Lol, it took me awhile to figure out why what you said was weird. I can be extremely slow in the head sometimes. But don't worry, Leafpool isn't going to die. **

A groan escaped Blackpaw's throat and he opened his eyes a crack to look around. The tangy scent of herbs wafted into his nostrils, and he could see the various plants organized along the rock walls around him. He lay in a warm mossy nest next to a clear blue pool of water. He groaned again as he realized he was in the medicine cat's den.

"How are you feeling, Blackpaw?"

The young apprentice tried see where the quiet voice was coming from, but pain immediately enclosed his insides, and he winced. He could hear the soft thud of paws on rock nearby and the light brown form of Kestrelpaw appeared. At the sight of the medicine cat apprentice, the memory of the night before flashed in Blackpaw's mind. Would Bramblestar really kill Leafpool? And what was the truth that the great tabby leader had spoken of.

"What happened to me?" Blackpaw croaked, pain still churning in his belly. Kestrelpaw's green eyes flickered with worry and confusion, but he answered anyway.

"You ate death berries," he meowed simply. Blackpaw gasped. He could not remember eating the deadly red berry, which could kill a fully-grown warrior in an instant. Maybe it _had_ been the rabbit.

"You're extremely lucky that you're still alive," the senior apprentice continued. "Why in StarClan's name did you eat them, anyways?"

"I didn't," Blackpaw mewed quietly. "I can't remember it if I did.."

Kestrelpaw gave him an appraising look, but instead of replying, he pushed a dark green leaf and a few small black seeds toward him. "Eat these."

Blackpaw nodded and obediently lapped up the herbs. At the bitter taste that seeped on his taste buds, he screwed up his nose and nearly spat the plants out. Kestrelpaw ignored him.

"Blackpaw, you're awake!"

The apprentice immediately recognized the sweet, melodic voice of Leafpool and he raised his head to look at her. At the sight of her well-groomed tabby fur and lithe shape, the memory of the night before flooded into Blackpaw's mind, and he turned away from the medicine cat. Would Bramblestar really kill her?

"Kestrelpaw, we need to restock on marigold. Can you go and fetch some for me?" Leafpool asked the medicine cat apprentice. Kestrelpaw nodded and disappeared through the den entrance.

"How are you feeling, Blackpaw?" she asked, repeating her apprentice's words only a few moments before.

"I'm fine," he lied. He could still feel a terrible churning in his stomach, but he didn't want the medicine cat to know about it. Leafpool eyed him doubtfully before padding past him into the main area of her den.

"Leafpool, what's the truth that Bramblestar doesn't want anyone to know?" Blackpaw blurted out suddenly. Leafpool froze and slowly turned towards him.

"How do you know about the truth?" she asked him steadily, her amber eyes boring into him. Blackpaw turned away so he wouldn't have to meet her gaze.

"I-I heard you and Bramblestar… talking last night," he mewed carefully. The tabby she-cat sighed and settled herself next to him, curling her tail neatly over her paws.

"Blackpaw, do you promise to never tell anyone else what I'm about to say, not even Firepaw or Nightpaw?"

Blackpaw hesitated for a heartbeat before slowly nodding his head. "I promise."

"The truth is, Blackpaw-" She was caught off by an alarmed yowl from somewhere in the hollow, and the many confused wails and screeches that followed it.

"Twolegs!"

Blackpaw's eyes widened and he bounded toward the den entrance, ignoring the pain in his stomach. Cats were racing panic-stricken about the camp, and a sense of terror had enveloped the air. A few of Bramblestar's elite warriors were trying to shout out orders, but Blackpaw could see the fear in their eyes as well.

Through the chaos, the black apprentice could see Kestrelpaw's light brown figure scrambling towards the medicine cat den, his eyes wide, sweat pouring down his sides. Blackpaw marvelled at how he had changed in such a short time.

"Kestrelpaw, what happened?" Leafpool asked from somewhere behind him.

"T-Twolegs in b-b-bright orange pelts and sh-shiny sticks coming t-towards camp," he stuttered anxiously. Leafpool ushered the tom into her den and the two of them moved as far away from the entrance as they could.

Suddenly, the hollow fell deadly silent, as if everything in the world were holding it's breath. Blackpaw peered out into the clearing, only to see three large Twolegs stepping into the camp, yowling at one another in their strange language.

He watched as their beady eyes flitted about the quarry, taking everything in. He froze as one of them looked directly at him. It screeched at the Twoleg next to it and raised a paw to point at him. Blackpaw began to tremble violently, his heart battering relentlessly against his ribcage.

The Twoleg began to walk towards him, creating a loud thudding sound with every step. Once it had reached him, it crouched down and stretched a massive paw towards him. Blackpaw could not move. He felt as if he were paralyzed. As the grubby fingers snatched him by the scruff and lifted him into the air, he suddenly became acutely aware of the pain in his stomach.

The Twoleg that was holding him yowled deafeningly to his companions and he began to walk towards them. Rapidly regaining his senses, Blackpaw began to twist and struggle in the man's hand. When it still didn't go, he sunk his fangs into the pale flesh.

With a screech of pain, the Twoleg let go, and Blackpaw felt himself falling swiftly toward the solid ground. With a bone-wrenching crash, he landed upon the hard-packed dirt, his head throbbing uncontrollably.

Faintly, Blackpaw heard a loud battle cry and the sound of fighting cat as his Clan members flowed out of their dens to meet the Twolegs. The blurry figure of Leafpool appeared in front of him, and he felt teeth sink lightly into his scruff as she dragged him into the medicine cat den.

**A/N: I know you're all probably thinking 'WTF? Why are there Twolegs in the forest?' Well, I guess I'll have to explain to you, since the cats certainly can't. It's newleaf, which pretty much means it's hunting season. While out hunting, the Twolegs saw a border patrol and decided to follow them back to camp, and that was why they were there. I didn't put the Twolegs in there randomly, though. They're going to be a big part of the story near the end.**


	9. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

**Happy Easter everybody! Sorry about the extremely late update. Once I got back from my aunt's on Sunday, I caught the stomach flu and was out for at least 4 days. It was pretty sucky. I'm back though, now, and ready to write!**

**Flaming Dawn - Where I live they wear orange jackets so that nobody will accidentally shoot them. I'm not sure about other places, though.**

**Paige Cullen - Jacob's Stalker - I might give Kestrelpaw a big part, I might not. I haven't gotten every single detail worked out yet. I'll be sure to put him in more, though.**

**Foxstar24 - Well, a Mary-Sue is like someone who is completely perfect in every way. They have no flaws or quirks, they're usually popular or all-powerful, and are extremely strong and quick. Basically, there isn't anything wrong with them at all.**

**AliKatNyah - I absolutely hate Daisy, which is why I killed her off. I killed Berrypaw, too, because I doubt Bramblestar would leave him alive if he was born to two kittypets. By the way, are you the AliKatNyah who made those Warriors animations on YouTube? If you are, I love those!**

**Silverstorm of RiverClan - Lol. I'll update as quickly as I can.**

Firepaw could only watch in horror as Blackpaw began to plummet towards the hard ground. As the black apprentice fell closer and closer to an uncertain fate, everything seemed to start moving in slow-motion.

Blackpaw hit the ground hard and fell completely, as if he were dead, and Bramblestar let loose his familiar battle cry. Cats immediately began to surge forward, their unsheathed claws and fangs glinting dangerously in the newleaf sunlight. The Twolegs began to yowl in shock, and one pointed it's odd stick at Nightcloud. There was a deafening blast, and the warrior fell down dead. Just like that.

"Firepaw," whispered a voice in the apprentice's ear. He merely twitched.

"_Firepaw!_" The voice was more indignant this time, and was accompanied by a gentle shove. Firepaw looked up to see Nightpaw staring at him with wide blue eyes. She looked the same as he felt - terrified.

"We need to go out there and fight," she continued. At the hesitant look in his eyes, she added, "for Blackpaw."

Firepaw nodded slowly, cautiously.

"For Blackpaw," he echoed, though his voice was the opposite definition of confident or determined.

They both shot a quick glance at each other, took a deep breath, and lunged forward into the fray. Firepaw immediately felt himself being jostled about by furious, hissing warriors and apprentices, all clawing viciously at the soft flesh of the Twolegs. The Twolegs were yowling and screeching, clutching the areas where the blood gushed out.

Firepaw allowed himself to be pushed half-heartedly forward by the other cats until the pink skin of a Twoleg was directly in front of him. For a brief moment, the ginger tom remembered how Blackpaw had been handled so cruelly, and eventually left to fall to the ground.

Sudden fury bubbling up inside of him, Firepaw hissed and sank his sharp fangs directly into the muscle of the Twoleg's leg. It howled in pain and wrenched it's bloody limb away from him. It called something out to it's companions, and they began to drag themselves through the attacking felines.

"Let them go!" Ashfur yowled unexpectedly from his position within the fighting cats, and the Clan reluctantly backed off. The Twolegs immediately began to run as fast as their bloody legs would carry them. They scrambled their way hastily out of the hollow and raced off, still howling and screeching in pain.

Firepaw saw Bramblestar leap up onto the Highledge, but there was no need to call the Clan forward. Every cat was already gathered below, staring up at him expectantly. The entire hollow was silent for a few heartbeats, until Owlwhisker suddenly began to chant.

"BrambleClan! BrambleClan! BrambleClan!"

The reply was uncertain at first, but eventually the mantra grew in sound until even Bramblestar was cheering from his perch. Firepaw didn't join in. He was too worried about Blackpaw to even register what was going on around him.

"Firepaw, do you want to come see your brother?" asked a sweet, melodic voice in his ear. The apprentice looked up to see Leafpool looking down at him, Nightpaw beside her. Firepaw nodded vigorously.

In the medicine cat den, Blackpaw was laying on his side, his sides heaving. He was panting, and he looked exhausted after his ordeal, but his eyes were open.

"Blackpaw! You're okay!" Nightpaw cried, rushing forward and pressing her nose into his fur. Firepaw followed.

"Of course he's okay." Kestrelpaw was sitting at the back of the den, staring at them. "We treated him, didn't we?"

Firepaw blinked. Were medicine cats supposed to be so… stuck-up?

"Kestrelpaw, I've told you a thousand times to be nice to the patients, especially since you're a medicine cat. Tonight's the half-moon. Do you need to wait to receive your full name?" Leafpool scolded.

Kestrelpaw shook his head sheepishly and shot a glare at the three siblings, as if angry at them for hearing him get in trouble. Firepaw noticed that Blackpaw had tensed considerably as Leafpool spoke. He blinked, confused.

"I'll let you three talk alone for awhile," Leafpool meowed, her eyes sympathetic. "Come along, Kestrelpaw."

The two medicine cats disappeared through the den entrance and into the clearing, where Bramblestar was still talking to the Clan in his loud, booming voice.

"How did the battle go?" Blackpaw asked in a raspy voice.

"It was _awesome!_" Nightpaw yowled before Firepaw could get a word in. "there were so many cats, and I got pushed towards this one Twoleg and I scratched and I bit it, and it was yowling and screeching and kicking…"

Nightpaw's voice grew louder and louder until it seemed to become a tangled mess. Firepaw couldn't understand a word his sister was saying, and guessing from the look on Blackpaw's face, neither could he.

"Blackpaw," Firepaw mewed quietly once the black she-cat had finished. "Why did you look so startled when Leafpool mentioned tonight was the half moon?"

Nightpaw's head shot up and she stared at her brother inquisitively.

Blackpaw stared at them for a moment, his eyes growing as wide as the sun. He didn't even seem to be breathing. Suddenly, the black tom took a deep breath and turned his eyes away from the curious gaze of his siblings.

"Before I blacked out last night," he began cautiously. "I heard Bramblestar and Leafpool… talking."

"Go on," Nightpaw urged when Blackpaw paused. Firepaw blinked at him encouragingly.

"Well, Bramblestar told Leafpool that if she didn't make Kestrelpaw a full medicine cat, she would end up like Squirrelflight. And Leafpool said he would kill her anyways."

Firepaw's eyes widened until they were as large as Blackpaw's. Nightpaw's expression was contorted, as if she were fighting some inner emotion, and her eyes were wide and unblinking, like she was in a trance.

"Bramblestar would never do anything like that," she mewed finally, her voice robotic. Both brothers stared at her oddly.

"What are you talking about, Nightpaw?" Blackpaw rasped. "He killed Morningflower just for telling us a story, remember? I wouldn't put it past him at all."

"I said, Bramblestar would never do anything like that!" She flared with a strange anger. Firepaw stared at her in shocked silence. For less than a heartbeat, her eyes had turned the exact shade of amber as Bramblestar's

"You'll have to leave now, Firepaw and Nightpaw," Leafpool meowed suddenly from the entrance as she stepped inside. "Blackpaw needs to rest, and you need to share tongues with Nightcloud for the last time."

The medicine cat's eyes were worried, as if she had overheard everything the three apprentices had said. She ushered the two siblings out of her den with her tail.

"And Nightpaw," Firepaw heard the medicine cat murmur to his sister as she passed. "Bramblestar can do much more than that."

**I know you're all thinking that I like killing too much, but I've gotta admit, it's fun to kill off the cats I hate. I don't especially hate Nightcloud -props to her for sticking up for herself - but I just had to kill her. It will probably make a lot of people happy.**


	10. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

**Qzil - Yeah, that chapter seemed really short, didn't it? Somehow, it was actually the second-longest, though. The longest was chapter 2.**

**Paige Cullen - Jacob's Stalker - XD, yeah, Nightpaw's pretty awesome. An abnormally happy apprentice one second, rebellious and evillish the next.**

**Shadowed Horizon - Her eyes were dark blue originally, like Ashfur's. Did I change them without realizing it or something? O.o**

**Crazy Flamie - Yeah, Nightcloud's pretty cool. I used to hate her for ruining CrowxLeaf and being all evil to Leafpool, but then I realized she was just defending her right as Crowfeather's mate, and I started liking her more.**

**Foxstar24 - Yeah, Nightpaw is **_**definitely **_**going to be the evil apprentice, since they haven't had any evil she-cats in the series.**

**AliKatNyah - Don't worry, Leafpool isn't going to die. She's going to escape from evil Brambley. **

…**-Thanks! That's what I'm trying to do.**

"Leafpool, I'm going to collect herbs!"

The medicine cat looked up from her herb-sorting at the voice of the medicine cat apprentice, who had received his full name the night before. He was now named Kestrelwing. She nodded briefly, before returning to the delicate procedure of separating the herbs into different piles.

Blackpaw had gotten much better overnight. He had recovered from the shock of his fall, and he had reported that the pain in his stomach had lessened considerably. He was now sitting up in his mossy nest, watching Leafpool with interest.

"Leafpool," the young apprentice meowed suddenly. "What's it like to be a medicine cat?"

The she-cat looked up at him and blinked in surprise.

"Well," she meowed thoughtfully. "It's quite fulfilling. Instead of hurting cats, like a warrior, you help them to heal. You can help your Clanmates overcome other, more personal problems as well. And there's the connection with StarClan… Why do you ask?"

The black tom didn't answer. Instead, he stared up at her with wide, sympathetic eyes and meowed, "I'm going to miss you, Leafpool."

Leafpool felt as if she had been clawed across the face at the reminder of her "conversation" with Bramblestar. She sighed, a forlorn look appearing in her eyes.

"I'm going to miss you, too, Blackpaw. At least I'll be free of tyrants like Bramblestar in StarClan," she meowed. She flicked him across the ear affectionately with her tail. "Life now is so different than it was when Firestar was alive."

Grief surged through Leafpool at the thought of her dead father, the noble leader of ThunderClan, saviour of the Clans. She missed him and Squirrelflight more than ever now.

"My kits! My kits are gone!"

The medicine cat was startled out of her brief anguish by the loud yowl of Whitewing. Suddenly, out of nowhere, the pitiful mewling of kits sounded near the back of the den. Her eyes widened, and she rushed deeper into the cave. The tiny forms of Pinekit and Maplekit lay in a mossy nest, the two of them curled up tightly against each other.

"Leafpool, have you seen-?" came a male voice from the entrance of the den. She whipped around to see Birchfall, the kits' father **(A/N - I had to change the father because Thornclaw is Whitewing's uncle) **staring over her shoulder with wide, suspicious eyes. Blackpaw was watching her too, but his eyes weren't apprehensive. Instead, they were narrowed with an odd understanding.

"What is wrong with you?" Birchfall spat. It was clear he thought Leafpool had stolen the kits. After all, in this dark time, it wasn't that hard to believe.

"Birchfall, I can explain," Leafpool began hurriedly. The angry tom said nothing. Instead, he brushed past her and picked up both kits by the scruff. Shooting her one last glare, he padded stiff-legged out of the den.

"I found them," the she-cat heard him cry. Whitewing yowled in relief and rushed over to her mate and kits, nuzzling them affectionately. Birchfall murmured something in her ear, and her eyes suddenly hardened.

Leafpool padded hesitantly out of the medicine cat den, her ears flattened against her head. Many cats were gathered around the couple now, and they all glared at her as she approached.

Bramblestar pushed his way through the mob, a triumphant smirk planted on his face. He gave the tabby she-cat a malicious smile and turned to face his Clan. Leafpool stared at him, her claws unsheathing at the sudden surge of hatred for the tom. _He _had put the two kits at the back of her den to make it seem like she had taken them from their mother.

"It is very obvious to see that Leafpool has stolen Whitewing's kits. I don't why she would do something as sick and twisted as that, but I do know that there is only one penalty for the thieving of kits." Bramblestar paused dramatically.

"Death."

Many of Bramblestar's supporters yowled in agreement Both Whitewing and Birchfall, who both plainly expressed their hatred for the leader's cruel ways, did the same. Leafpool winced.

As if on some silent signal, Ashfur and Owlwhisker began to prowl towards her, their eyes narrowed, a sneer on their faces. Leafpool began to back up, terror bubbling up inside her. She had to get away - somehow, she _had _to get away.

Suddenly, her tail brushed up against the wall of thorns that was the entrance to her den, and her fear rose, welling up in her throat and threatening to choke her. Nearly every cat in the Clan was egging Ashfur and Owlwhisker on now, their yowls rising into a wild chant. Only four cats had not joined them - Sandstorm, Brightheart, Kestrelwing, and Crowfeather stood together on the outside of the crowd, their eyes filled with shock and bewilderment.

The two warriors were getting closer now. The only way to escape was to go through them… Leafpool's eyes widened. That was it! _Go through them!_

The medicine cat took a deep breath, bracing herself. Suddenly, she shot forward, rushing past Ashfur, Owlwhisker and the startled crowd.

"Get her!" she heard Bramblestar yowl furiously in the background. Her heart was going wild in her chest, her lungs tearing at her chest in her search for air. Every heartbeat, every pounding note of her paws on the ground, seemed like an eternity. Finally, she reached the camp exit.

Leafpool pushed her way through the thorn barrier and barrelled through the trees at a speed she hadn't known she possessed. But the threat was over now. Her former Clanmates had fallen back once she had left camp.

She didn't stop until she had reached the new HawkClan border, the stream that had once separated ThunderClan and WindClan. Hawkstar's Clan had won the border fight three sunrises ago.

The she-cat barely noticed the cold as she splashed through the trickling water to the HawkClan side. Where could she go? She obviously couldn't go to the mountains -they were too far away for only one cat - and she didn't even consider joining HawkClan. What about horseplace?

When Bramblestar and Hawkstar had taken over the Clans, they had killed Smoky and Floss, saying that the two kittypets didn't belong anywhere near their warriors. The barn would be empty now.

Taking a shaky breath, Leafpool stepped out onto the moor, letting the wind ruffle her fur and refresh her senses after her near-death experience and her perilous run. She swerved closer to the lakeside, watching carefully for enemy patrols. She didn't want to be caught on her own, with the two Clans at war like this.

By the time the horseplace came into sight, the sun was high in the sky, it's rays burning relentlessly into her fur. It was only the beginning of newleaf, but the air was already considerably warmer than it had been a few days before.

Once she was safely past the border, Leafpool began to run as fast as she could toward the barn. She was still slightly tired by her previous run, though, so her pace wasn't as quick as she would have liked. The sweet scent of hay and horses wafted from the Twoleg nest into her nostrils, and as she finally burst through the large doorway, she breathed it in deeply.

Suddenly, a loud yowl sounded from behind a hay-bale and a large gray shape leaped out, bowling her over into the straw. Leafpool gasped in pain as the dry, prickly plants poked into her fur. She flipped herself over, ready to fight the creature, but it was already on her, cuffing her head and battering at her body with sheathed paws.

The she-cat began to struggle, her eyes closed against the strong blows. Even though medicine cats learned how to fight, her muscles were weaker than most wild cats,' and she had never been in a real squabble before.

She cracked her eyelids open slightly, trying to see her opponent, and gasped in shock at the face that met her.

"Stormfur?"

**OOC: Mwahahahahaha, cliffy! I know I still took quite a long time to update, but it was a shorter time than usual, and this is the longest chapter yet, so don't kill me!**


	11. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

**Wow, 8 reviews for the last chapter! That's awesome! Thanks to everyone that reviewed. Sorry about yet another late update. I guess you're all used to my lateness by now, though. In other news and such, I've finally figured out the exact plot for the story, and I know what's going to happen in the sequel if I do actually write one. Happiness!**

**Firetail of ThunderClan - Wow, thanks! I'm flattered! Although, that last chapter definitely **_**did not**_** flow well. I didn't have time to proofread it, so it turned out terribly. Ew.**

**Qzil - Yay Stormy! Leafpool was actually one of my favourites for some insane reason, but not anymore. I changed my mind. I still had enough mercy to let her live, though. XD**

**AliKatNyah - I could never forget Stormy! :P He's awesome! Yeah, the whole Thornclaw-being-Whitewing's-uncle thing surprised me, too. Someone told me about it in a review!**

**Tawnyleaf - Thanks! I hate the shortness, though. Stupid shortness! -shakes fist-**

**Shadowed Horizon - Yup, Stormfur! Evil Brambley! He wanted Leafpool dead because she's the last left who knows for a fact he killed Firestar. (Other than Ashfur and Hawkstar, but he trusts them)**

**Flamie - There. I called you Flamie. Happy? XD I would definitely want to read that! I'll be sure to PM you! Your actually pretty close. I'm not spoiling what actually happens, though!**

**Foxstar24 - Thanks! Leopardstar? Yeah, she is, kind of. I just barely had enough mercy to let Leafpool live. I don't really like her that much anymore.**

**Tigerstar-Demon - Brambley's not supposed to be the most evil one, though. Hawky is! -laughs evilly- Have someone get raped? O.o I dunno. I may possibly let Hawkstar try to rape Nightpaw. Hehe.**

**One last note: this chapter is a filler, so it doesn't have much in it. Just Leafpool and Stormfur talking and a few other things. I'll try to update again super-quickly to make up for it!**

Stormfur released his grip on Leafpool and staggered backwards in shock. For what seemed like hours, the gray tom stared at her with wide amber eyes until his voice finally broke the silence.

"Leafpool?" he stuttered hoarsely. Leafpool nodded slowly, her body quivering. She was amazed to see him as well. After the terrible wounds Bramblestar had inflicted upon him, she had expected the tom to be dead.

"I can't believe I'm seeing you again," she breathed, pulling herself shakily to her feet.

"I can't believe I'm seeing _you _again," he repeated, the shock disappearing from his eyes and a look of warmth and friendliness replacing it. He licked her across the ear affectionately and Leafpool smiled at him.

"Stormfur, what's going on?" came a loud voice from somewhere nearby. Leafpool's grin grew wider. She would recognize that melodic accent anywhere. But as Brook stepped out from behind a hay bale, the pale silver shape of Millie in tow, the medicine cat's eyes bulged. The former prey-hunter was heavily pregnant. She seemed about ready to burst.

"Leafpool!" Millie cried happily as she caught sight of the she-cat. She bounded towards the tabby and twined around her briefly. Brook lumbered as quickly as she could towards the reuniting cats, a stunned expression on her face.

"How's Graystripe?" Millie asked, a pained look appearing in her eyes. Leafpool suppressed a sigh. The gray tom had grown distant from the rest of the Clan when Firestar had died and Millie had been exiled. She had often seen him sitting in the corner of the hollow, a forlorn, faraway look on his face, as if he were remembering days long past.

"He's fine," the medicine cat lied. Millie relaxed slightly, but she still looked upset.

"I miss him so much," she muttered. Leafpool recognized the agonized tone in her voice. She used it whenever she talked about Crowfeather. It had hurt her so much when he had mated with Nightcloud and she had his kit.

"I think I loved him."

The she-cat blinked at Millie sympathetically and then turned to Stormfur. "Now, what's going on? Why are you here?" She hesitated before continuing in a whisper, "I thought you were dead."

Stormfur sighed. "I thought we were going to die, too," he began. "We had lost a lot of blood because of Bramblestar, and the traveling didn't help our situation. Luckily, Brook knew a bit about herbs, and with her help we recovered." He smiled at his mate tenderly.

"We began to travel across the moor, hoping to find some place to live. We weren't that far from the lake when we learned Brook was pregnant, so we came back. I knew she couldn't give birth out in the open like that, so we came to this place, and we've been here ever since. It's only a matter of time until HawkClan discovers us, though. Hopefully, they'll only drive us out, but I doubt it."

He spoke so calmly and easily of his death that Leafpool knew he had thought about it and discussed it many times. It saddened her.

"What about you?" Brook piped up from her place beside Stormfur. "What's been happening in the Clans?"

Leafpool blinked and looked down at her paws. "It's been terrible," she muttered. "Bramblestar will ruthlessly kill cats of his own Clan, and his supporters still back him up. No one can get near him. HawkClan captured the moorland, and during the battle Squirrelflight died."

Stormfur gasped and a look of grief passed through his eyes. Leafpool was reminded briefly that the two warriors had traveled to the sundrown place together. It hadn't been so long ago, but it seemed like an eternity, part of a different universe altogether.

"And then Twolegs invaded our camp. They shot an odd shiny rock at Nightcloud and she died instantly."

Millie nodded. "I know what you mean. They set up odd green pelts on the moorland that flap in the wind. They make fires every night that are contained by a bunch of logs, and they sit around it every night and share tongues."

"We always hear odd banging noises coming from their camp," Stormfur added suspiciously.

Suddenly, Brook grunted in pain and sank to the floor. Every line in her body was tense and her stomach was moving. The three other cats turned to her anxiously.

"Brook? What's wrong?" Leafpool mewed worriedly, though she had already guessed what was happening.

"The kits," she panted through clenched teeth. "I think they're coming!"

Stormfur's eyes widened in amazement and he rushed to his mate's side. He began to lick her all over, whispering calming words in her ear. Millie glanced at Leafpool frantically.

"Does she need herbs?" the former kittypet asked. Leafpool shook her head. They didn't have any herbs; Brook would just have to do this on her own.

--

About an hour later, 3 kits lay by Brook's side; a bright silver she-cat like Stormfur's dead sister, Feathertail, a mottled brown tom like Brook, and a dark gray tom like Stormfur and his father, Graystripe. Though the silver she-cat and the brown tom suckled from their mother hungrily, the gray tom lay motionless, his sides still. Brook was staring down at it forlornly.

"I'm sorry, Brook," Leafpool murmured sympathetically. The mountain cat sighed and looked up.

"I must look to the living now. They are the ones who need me," she replied, though her voice was trembling with grief. Silently, Millie padded forward and picked up the stillborn kit then disappeared through the barn door. It went without saying that she was going to bury it.

"Do we give them Clan names or rogue names?" Stormfur asked his mate. A sudden determination appeared in her eyes, raging like a forest fire.

"We will give them Clan names, because one day we will join ThunderClan again."

She said this with such conviction, such certainty, that no cat dared argue with her. The ferocity that had appeared in the new mother suddenly disappeared as she turned her gaze towards her two surviving kits.

"This one will be named Thrushkit," she meowed, gesturing towards the silver she-cat. "And the other will be named Swiftkit."

Stormfur grinned and purred in agreement. "Those are wonderful names."

**A/N: Didn't I tell you this chapter wouldn't have much in it? It's very boring. The next one is going to be about Nightpaw and Breezepaw. :P**


	12. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

**So, here we are, the tenth chapter. This is a huge milestone for me in the whole writing thing, since I've never gotten past 5 chapters without discontinuing. Hopefully, this was earlyish enough to make up for the last chapter. I tried to make a little longer than usual as well. **

**Foxstar24 - Thanks! In my twisted mind, she deserved it because I hate her, but I guess not everybody does.**

**Niah-Miyoki - Yay for Stormy, Thrushy and Swifty! Those names were totally random. XD**

**Flamie - :P I like that idea. And I hate fillers, too, although I really had no choice with that last one.**

**Qzil - Me too. Well, sorta. I've never liked Brook, but I've always wondered how Stormy's kits would turn out, so, yeah…**

**AliKatNyah - Wow, that is freaky! Maybe I'm physic, but I just don't realize it. :P**

Nightpaw stood in the middle of a dark clearing, glancing around her nervously. Everything around her was sinister and gloomy. Up in the sky, no stars twinkled, no moon cast it's silver glow on the forest. The undergrowth was a dark gray color, wilted and dying. The trees cast black shadows on the already murky ground, and the only light came from the moss, glowing strangely in the eternal night. Nightpaw had been here many times, but it still unnerved her.

It had been a half moon since Leafpool's banishment. The Gathering was the next night, and the warriors were preparing for a fight. The ancient laws of StarClan were ignored now, and the Clans always broke out into some petty argument or another. The gray apprentice had been visiting Tigerstar in her dreams every night since that first time, and she had learned much. It was clear that she was advancing ahead of Firepaw and Blackpaw in her training.

Nightpaw pricked her ears in surprise as she heard the leaves rustling faintly and the bulky shape of Tigerstar appeared, his amber eyes glowing in the dark. But that wasn't what had caught the she-cat's interest. Behind the former ShadowClan leader prowled an unfamiliar black-and-gray tabby tom.

"Hello, Nightpaw," Tigerstar growled in greeting. "I am glad you have come here tonight. This will be a very important training session for you."

The young apprentice, still staring at the newcomer, was snapped out of her reverie by his deep voice. She straightened herself up and quickly licked her chest in an attempt to regain her dignity.

"Why is it important?" she asked in a quiet voice. Tigerstar's mouth curved up in a cold smile.

"Because today, you will fight for real. Darkstripe has been wandering alone for uncountable moons now. He shouldn't be a problem for you."

It was then that Nightpaw noticed the despair and hunger that dulled Darkstripe's sunken blue eyes. It disturbed her. She would never want to be banished to the Place of No Stars.

Taking a deep breath, the she-cat crouched down in a ready fighting position. Darkstripe did the same, baring his teeth and unsheathing long, thorn-sharp claws. Nightpaw's eyes widened and she turned to Tigerstar.

"Claws unsheathed?" she asked. Even though this was only a dream, she knew that when she awoke the injuries would be as real as her mossy nest. The thought made fear well up in her throat.

When Tigerstar nodded, malice glittering in his amber eyes, she turned back to Darkstripe and unsheathed her claws. She tensed her muscles, ready to spring at any moment.

"Attack!"

At the loud yowl from the former ShadowClan leader, both cats leaped forward, colliding in the air. They both tumbled to the ground, Darkstripe landing on top. He pinned her to the ground and dug his front claws into her shoulders. Nightpaw winced in pain as blood began to well up in the wounds, and she scored her claws down the tom's soft underbelly.

Darkstripe leapt off the she-cat, hissing at her angrily. Remembering one of the moves Tigerstar had taught her, she pushed off the ground with her hind legs, soaring over the tabby tom's head and onto his back. The ghostly cat growled as she dug her claws into his pelt and he began to flail about, trying to shake her off. She continued to hold fast, and finally he dropped to the ground and rolled right on top of her.

Nightpaw felt her breath rush out of her as Darkstripe crushed her underneath him, and she was left winded. Weakly, she tried to push him off her, but to no avail.

"Stop!" she heard Tigerstar yowl. She sighed in relief as the large weight lifted off her body and she could breath without muddy fur getting stuffed in her mouth. Lifting herself shakily to her paws, she assumed a sheepish expression and looked up at the dead leader.

"Wake up, Nightpaw," he meowed sternly. Nightpaw blinked in confusion.

"What?"

"Wake up!"

The apprentice opened her eyes to see that she was actually in the apprentice's den, and Breezepaw was standing over her, yowling in her ear.

"Finally!" he cried angrily. "I've never seen a cat sleep for so long in my life!"

Nightpaw glared at him. "What do _you_ want?"

"Ashfur says you, me, Whitetail and Weaselfur are to go on a border patrol," he replied, just as coldly. He sniffed arrogantly, as if she weren't worth any more effort, and stalked out of the den. As Nightpaw heaved herself to her feet, she realized there was still a sharp pain in her shoulder, and she flinched.

Once she had exited the den, she began to pad towards the fresh-kill pile, but was stopped Weaselfur as he stepped in front of her.

"You slept in for too long," he meowed admonishingly. "There's no time to eat if we want to end this patrol by sunhigh."

Nightpaw blinked in embarrassment and followed Weaselfur towards the camp entrance, where both Breezepaw and his mentor, Whitetail, were waiting. Without another word, all four cats padded through the thorn tunnel and into the forest.

"Weaselfur and I will stay in front. You two will keep in the back and watch for danger," Whitetail meowed over her shoulder after they had traveled a few pawsteps. Nightpaw and Breezepaw shot each other infuriated glares.

"You'd better not touch me," Nightpaw growled. "Or I'll rip your pelt off."

Breezepaw snorted disbelievingly. "You? Rip _my _pelt off?! I'd tear you to shreds before you could even try!"

"Yeah, right! I'm a way better fighter than you! And hunter!"

"I hunt way better than you! I bet you've never caught a squirrel that climbed up the Sky Oak!"

"I bet I could!"

"Prove it!"

"Maybe I will!"

"Will you two shut your mouse-holes and focus on the patrol?" Weaselfur snapped, interrupting their heated argument. The two of them closed their mouths but continued glaring at each other angrily, making sure they were as far apart as possible.

The small patrol eventually reached the new HawkClan border, the rank stench blocking out everything else, even BrambleClan's scent.

"A patrol must have been by here recently," Weaselfur informed them absently. "Let's hope they haven't crossed again."

Nightpaw noticed that both warriors were staring longingly at the large stretch of moorland across the border. It was almost as if she could feel the tug in their hearts herself, urging them to cross.

"Were you WindClan warriors before Bramblestar and Hawkstar took over?" Nightpaw asked suddenly. Both of them glanced back at her in surprise.

"How do you know about WindClan?" Weaselfur demanded, his eyes flaming. The she-cat suddenly became acutely aware that the tom was one of Bramblestar's elite warriors - he could do anything, and he wouldn't get punished.

"Morningflower told me," she meowed bluntly, although there was a slight catch to her voice. The entire Clan knew why the elder had been killed half a moon ago, but she still worried she would get in trouble for mentioning the incident. Surprisingly, Weaselfur's eyes softened.

"Yes, I was from WindClan," the tom meowed. "Morningflower was the oldest cat in her Clan. She was born before even Onestar, and Webfoot always said she had grown up with old Tallstar."

He shook his head suddenly, and his eyes hardened yet again. "But this is no time to reminisce. We should mark the borders and head back."

It only took the four cats a little while to scent-mark the borders, though they made sure to double check every inch. They didn't want HawkClan taking over any more of what little territory they had left.

"I bet WindClan was better than ThunderClan," Breezepaw meowed suddenly, a challenging note to his voice.

"No way!" Nightpaw retorted. "ThunderClan was _way_ better than WindClan! After all, who would want live on the moorlands?" She spat in mock disgust. "There are no trees!"

"I wish there were no trees in this StarClan-forsaken forest! It would so much more fun to run across the moors without these massive trunks blocking your way!"

"Well then you wouldn't be able to gloat about catching a squirrel in the Sky Oak!"

"So? I'd rather catch a rabbit!"

This argument, though less heated than the last, continued all the way back to camp. Nightpaw could tell that Whitetail and Weaselfur were amused, otherwise they would have stopped the fight by now.

"Give it up!" Breezepaw yowled as they entered camp. "WindClan was better than ThunderClan, and you know it!"

"I will never give up!" Nightpaw shouted back.

"Well then maybe we should go hunting together sometime!" he growled angrily.

"Maybe we should!" she snapped back. The two of them glared at each other one last time before stalking off in their separate directions - Breezepaw towards the apprentice's den and Nightpaw towards the fresh-kill pile.

Nightpaw picked out a plump vole from the pile, still fuming from the verbal conflict they had exchanged. She was about to settle down and when she stopped in her tracks, realizing what she had agreed to.

"Mouse-dung!" she spat quietly. There was no way she could get out of this now.

**A/N - Didja like it? Didja? It's a little longer than the other chapters, to make up for the filler.**

**Heh, I really liked writing about Nightpaw and Breezepaw - especially the last few lines. It was fun. :P**


	13. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

**Sorry for yet another extremely late update. I'll decide in the morning that I'm going to write sometime, but when I actually get to it, I decide not to. I'm lazy. :P Well, I obviously started writing, so here's the final product. And it's finally from Firepaw's point of view again!**

**Niah-Miyoki - LAWLBADGER? XD Yessers, Nighty's got herself a date with Breezepaw. Poor Nighty. D**

**Shadowed Horizon - Lol, yeah, I loved writing them. I think every time I write about those two, I'll include some odd argument between them, since they're both pigheaded.**

**AliKatNyah - o.o, I wasn't planning to kill them anytime soon… but now I don't ever want to! XD**

**Foxstar24 - Yup, exactly why I put them together. :P Their whole relationship will probably be hilarious, since they're both extremely stubborn and cocky. And one is evil. XD**

**Lillyrod(of ThunderClan) - Hehe, yeah. They were mentally laughing their heads off. And I'm definitely killing Bramblestar in a Scourge-like fashion. Except slightly worse. Mwahahahaha!**

Firepaw's fur was tingling with dread as the blurry silhouette of the island drew ever closer. The ginger tom was an extremely anti-social cat, and the thought of being around so many other cats unsettled him. As well as that, the warriors were often telling the apprentices about the savagery of the Clans when they were around one another. Apparently, they would always start up some petty argument, which would lead to a fight. Many believed StarClan had given up on stopping them.

The night was chilly, despite the fact that it was late newleaf. A thick fog was shrouded across the lake's surface, and the full moon was merely a dim circle of light, shining weakly through the thick cloud cover. Everything was quiet, and even though the mist swirled about the cats' paws, not even the slightest breeze disturbed the still atmosphere.

Beside Firepaw padded Nightpaw, and on her other side was Breezepaw. Blackpaw had not been chosen to come because he still felt somewhat unwell. The marshy ground sucked at their paws and dragged at their fur as they approached the log. Breezepaw jumped on first, followed by Nightpaw, and then Firepaw.

The moment he set foot on the bridge, the young apprentice's claws unsheathed and lodged themselves in the wood. It was quite slippery, and it's surface was coated in moss and lichen. He began to proceed forward cautiously, his entire body trembling.

"Hurry up," Owlwhisker spat irritably from behind him. "You're holding up the line."

Craning his head around carefully, he saw that the rest of the BrambleClan cats had stopped, and were glaring at him. Even Ashfur, his own father, seemed annoyed. But then again, the gray tom had always, even before he and his siblings could speak.

Taking a deep breath, Firepaw turned back to the task at hand and began to pad forward, quicker than he had before. He was nearly at the end when his paws hit a particularly damp spot, and he slipped.

Before he could realize what was happening, the tom was in the lake, the freezing water soaking into his skin. He tried to paddle, tried to get his head above water, but it was no use. He had no idea how to swim.

He was still struggling when he felt a pair of strong teeth latch into his scruff, and someone began to drag him towards the shore. As he was pulled onto the bank, gasping for breath, he saw that his saviour was only a young tom like himself.

"Who're you?" Firepaw asked quietly once he had regained the ability to speak.

"Owlpaw," the strange cat replied gruffly. Standing at his shoulder was another apprentice, a silver she-cat. Owlpaw motioned towards her with his tail. "That's Minnowpaw."

"Oh," the ginger tom meowed, hesitant to speak to the HawkClan cats. "Well, thanks."

Owlpaw blinked, and he looked strangely bewildered at the thought of someone thanking him. "Er, you're welcome."

He blinked again, and his next words ruined the moment. "I don't see why you couldn't have gotten out yourself. The water wasn't even moving until you started thrashing about."

"Owlpaw, don't be so mean," Minnowpaw meowed reproachfully, cuffing him gently over the ear. "You're starting to act like one of Hawkstar's supporters."

Owlpaw snorted, his eyes flaming. "I would _never_ follow that filth!"

Firepaw wasn't even paying attention to their conversation. He was gazing at Nightpaw instead, who seemed to be locked in an argument with Breezepaw. It wasn't this that made hurt clench at his belly, but the fact that his sister hadn't even moved a muscle to save him.

He blinked, drawn out of his reverie as Minnowpaw spoke to him. "Come on," she meowed. "I'll take you to meet my brothers."

Firepaw looked hesitant at the thought of talking to even more cats, but Minnowpaw urged him forward with her tail, Owlpaw trailing on his other side.

"Don't worry, they won't bite," she grinned at him. Owlpaw snorted disbelievingly.

"Pouncepaw will."

Minnowpaw glared at him. "Just because Pouncepaw follows Hawkstar doesn't mean that he would hurt any of us."

Owlpaw raised an eyebrow but said nothing. As the three young apprentices padded through the large crowd of cats, Firepaw felt his heart pound nervously in chest. Meeting a bunch of new cats was bad enough - talking to a supporter of Hawkstar was even worse.

"Pouncepaw, Pebblepaw!" Minnowpaw chirruped as they approached two toms who were talking to Honeyfur. "This is…"

She turned to Firepaw, a sheepish look in her eyes. "What's your name?"

"Firepaw," he replied quietly. Minnowpaw grinned at him then turned back to Pouncepaw, Pebblepaw and Honeyfur. "Firepaw!"

Firepaw and Honeyfur smiled hesitantly at one another. Both were probably just as surprised to see each other talking to other cats. The two of them were extremely shy.

"This is Honeyfur!" Pebblepaw meowed cheerily, motioning towards Firepaw's Clanmate. It was easy to see how he and Minnowpaw were related. Both seemed extremely bubbly, and they looked about the same as well.

Before any of them could another word in, a loud yowl sounded from the branches of the Great Oak. Firepaw turned to see a large, muscular dark tabby tom glaring at the crowd. The sight of him nearly made the ginger apprentice gasp in shock. He looked almost exactly like Bramblestar.

"That's Hawkstar," informed a voice proudly in his ear. He turned to see Pouncepaw, the one who followed Hawkstar, sitting beside him.

Hawkstar's sharp blue eyes surveyed the clearing once, and the look in them seemed to have an effect on every cat watching. While half the cats began to shift uncomfortably, the other half straightened up, as if trying to impress the tom.

"HawkClan has fared well this moon," he began in a deep voice. "Icewing has given birth to four healthy kits, Beetlekit, Pricklekit, Petalkit and Grasskit, and Snowbird has joined the queen's den. Appletail was caught meeting a gray tom by horseplace. She was killed for disloyalty, and the possibility of mating with an outsider. The prey is plentiful, and we thrive with our new territory."

The last part of the speech was spoken with a mocking ring to it. Bramblestar turned fierce amber eyes on his half-brother, and Firepaw could see that his claws were unsheathed.

"The moor belongs to BrambleClan, Hawkstar, and you know it," he growled. "We have barely any territory left."

"Well, I'm so very sorry about that," Hawkstar replied, his voice falsely regretful. "But I do believe HawkClan won the battle, and that means the territory is rightfully ours."

Bramblestar snarled furiously, and he suddenly sprang at the almost identical tom. Hawkstar's claws unsheathed, and he met the challenge head-on. As the two leaders met on a single branch, it cracked under their weight, and they tumbled to the ground.

Luckily, they had been on a low branch, and neither even seemed to notice the fall. As the fight between them continued getting fiercer and fiercer, the two Clans began to get angrier and angrier. Finally, as if on some silent signal, they sprang at each other.

Firepaw felt himself being jostled between dozens of moving bodies until he suddenly came face to face with a ginger HawkClan apprentice. Without even a second glance, she leaped at him, her paws outstretched.

The she-cat tumbled straight into him, knocking him into the grass. Without any hesitation, she pinned him and her sharp teeth came straight towards his throat. Instinctively, Firepaw, who had been frozen in fear not even a heartbeat before, raked his claws down her belly, digging them in deep.

She stumbled backwards, her eyes wide with pain, and walked straight into Dustpelt. Blackpaw's mentor whipped around, his eyes alight with bloodlust, and at the sight of the HawkClan apprentice he sunk his teeth directly into her shoulder.

Firepaw watched, horror struck, as Dustpelt tore furiously at the unfortunate apprentice's pelt. She landed a few blows on him herself, but he was much bigger than her, and she was at a great disadvantage. Finally, blood staining her orange pelt red, she turned tail and fled into the crowd.

"_STOP!_"

At the furious voice, the noise on the island ceased, and in a split second everything went dead silent. Firepaw turned, and was surprised to see Kestrelwing sitting in the Great Oak, Mothwing at his side.

"This must stop!" Kestrelwing cried. "Cats are being hurt for nothing tonight. Have we all forgotten StarClan? What would they say?"

Murmurs of discontent rippled throughout the Clan cats. They all remembered StarClan - but did StarClan remember them?

"If you absolutely must fight, then can you at least not fight on the night that is supposed to be sacred? Are we all forgetting the ancient ways?"

"Fine!" Bramblestar yowled from somewhere in the center of the crowd. "We will come here in two nights time. Then we will see who _really _owns the moorland!"

Bramblestar and Hawkstar were glaring at each other furiously now, and there was such hatred in those eyes that a stranger would think they weren't related at all.

**A/N: Sorry about the extreme shortness of the battle, but I'm no good at writing that kind of stuff. The battle in the next chapter will probably be longer, but the chapter will mostly focus on one extremely important part of the story.**

**Yes, I know the names of Icewing's kits were terrible, but those are their actual names in the Outcast allegiances. No, I do not have a special early edition of Outcast or anything. In the Erin Hunter AuthorTracker for this month, there was a link to a sneak peak of the book, so that's how I know.**


	14. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

**Tsk, tsk, I'm very disappointed in you all. Only 5 reviews? Oh well. The last chapter wasn't too great for reviews either.**

**Niah-Miyoki - Well, that's what I'm trying to do. I'm amazed it's actually working.**

**AliKatNyah - Close. It was actually Ivypaw. Tawnypelt's kits aren't apprentices quite yet. Soon, though. Me, a superior? XD I'm not **_**that **_**great of a writer am I? Well, I'm my worst critic, so I obviously think I suck.**

**Rubyheart481 - Yup, they do. This probably won't be mentioned in the actual story, so I'll just tell you now - they actually received their nine lives from the cats of the Dark Forest. Y'know, Tigerstar, Darkstripe, Brokenstar, Clawface, Mudclaw, etc.**

**Tigerstar-Demon - I don't like the names too much. I think the Erins could do a little better, though the names are still cool. I'm already trying to think up warrior names for them! XD**

**Wild Ninja Paige - Meh. I think I suck at them. XD Maybe you could use TigerClan and LionClan? Those were my second choices. I just used BrambleClan and HawkClan because Tigerstar named TigerClan after himself.**

Blackpaw shivered as he padded across the bridge to Gathering Island. He hadn't wanted to come to this battle, claiming he was still sick, but Bramblestar had forced him to come anyways. If they wanted to win against HawkClan, they would need as many cats as they could spare.

As the tom stepped onto the bank, he noticed the ominous silence, louder than even the most deafening of noises. There didn't seem to be any other cats nearby, though the area was smothered in the foul scent of HawkClan. Blackpaw was comforted by Firepaw and Nightpaw, who were standing so close by his side that their fur brushed, but there were still butterflies in his stomach.

The crowd of BrambleClan cats parted as Bramblestar stepped through them, looking as strong as ever as he walked. He stopped at the head of the crowd and locked his amber eyes on a clump of ferns on the edge of the clearing.

"Come out and face me like a real warrior, you coward," the tabby leader snarled. At these words, there came a malicious laugh from the undergrowth, that seemed to grow and surround the BrambleClan cats.

"Why should I, Bramblestar?" came Hawkstar's cold voice. Blackpaw shifted nervously and pressed up closer to his siblings. "Why should I give up the element of surprise, when it is grasped so firmly between my paws?"

Bramblestar's only response was an angry growl, which was answered full force by the hidden HawkClan warriors.

After this there was a tense moment of silence, seemingly stretched out longer by the knowledge of what was to follow. Not a sound could be heard in the night - it was as if everything were holding it's breath.

Blackpaw felt his claws slide instinctively out of his paws, and he dug them in the soft earth. Around him, many cats did the same, their teeth bared and the glint of battle in their eyes. The black apprentice felt he could take the suspense no longer when the cry finally came.

"Attack!"

In less than a heartbeat, the still island had erupted into a flurry of movement. Dozens of cats hurled themselves out of the bushes and threw themselves upon the BrambleClan cats, who met the challenge with a whirlwind of claws and fangs. Blackpaw felt a large weight crash down on his hind legs, and he caught the shape of Marshwhisker out of the corner of his eye.

"BrambleClan scum!" the warrior spat, digging his claws into Blackpaw's rump. The apprentice hissed in pain and he squirmed his way out of Marshwhisker's grip. He then whipped himself around and immediately flung himself at the tom. He felt his claws catch onto his shoulder, though they were shaken off before they could do much harm.

The warrior leaped at Blackpaw, and this time he came down on the apprentice's body. Blackpaw found himself pinned to the ground, with a merciless tom on top. He tried to get away, kicking out with his hind legs and struggling as much as he could, but it was hopeless.

Suddenly, a familiar yowl sounded from behind Marshwhisker, and Nightpaw leaped right on top of him, digging her claws into his back. Marshwhisker growled angrily, and in his attempt to shake the she-cat off, his grip on Blackpaw loosened.

Taking advantage of the sudden distraction, the black tom slammed his hind paws into the warrior's belly. Marshwhisker yelped in pain and staggered backwards. Nightpaw slunk off his back, sliding her claws across his side on the way. She bounded towards her brother, who had lifted himself to his feet, and the two of them padded toward their enemy, shoulder-to-shoulder.

Marshwhisker's eyes widened, and he began to stumbled backwards, shaking his head. "No more," he mumbled, the pain he was feeling expressed in his voice. "No more."

Together, Blackpaw and Nightpaw chased the warrior off, making sure they were right on his paws. As they ran after him, they burst through a wall of frozen cats and found themselves staring straight at Bramblestar and Hawkstar.

The two brothers were fighting one another mercilessly, welts covering their pelts and staining their tabby fur deep crimson. Bramblestar seemed to be taking the most blows, and he was currently sprawled on the tainted grass, Hawkstar standing over him.

"Well, Bramblestar," Blackpaw heard him growl. "This is where we say good-bye. Say hello to Tigerstar for me."

The HawkClan leader lunged forward, and in one swift movement he had flipped Bramblestar over and ripped his claws along the tom's belly and bitten into his throat at the same time. Smiling maliciously, he backed away from the convulsing heap of fur, and the cats of the two Clans watched in horror as a scene from so long ago was repeated, and all nine lives of the seemingly impenetrable leader were torn away from him all at once.

When the body finally fell still, a malicious laugh erupted from Hawkstar's throat, one filled with more cruelty than Scourge had held in his entire body. Watching from the blackness of the Dark Forest, even the great Tigerstar felt a flicker of fear towards his son.

A cry was suddenly taken up among the cats. In some cats, this cry was filled with grief, while in others, it was overflowing with triumph. It was a cry that made everything in the world seem to stop and fall silent.

"Bramblestar is dead!"

It took few heartbeats for Blackpaw to realize what had happened. And when he did, he felt a rush of conflicting emotions - a sort of gladness that Bramblestar was dead, a worry for what was to come, but most of all amazement that the cat he had thought almighty, unbreakable, was lying broken and cold before his very eyes.

Two cats who Blackpaw recognized as Blackclaw and Oakfur rushed forward and began to speak to Hawkstar in hushed tones. When the leader replied, nodding his head slowly, they hurried back into the crowd, their heads together.

Every BrambleClan cat began towards Ashfur - Blackpaw, Nightpaw and Firepaw included - looking for some sort of guidance.

"I guess we go home now," Blackpaw's father meowed carefully. He, too, seemed shocked that Bramblestar had actually died.

"Oh no, you're not going anywhere," snarled a familiar voice. Hawkstar pushed his way through the BrambleClan cats, his head held high. Many cats were now glaring at him with new hatred in their eyes.

"You don't control me or my Clan, Hawkstar," Ashfur growled, his fur bristling. "If I say we're going back to camp, then that's what we're doing."

Hawkstar laughed again, making Blackpaw shiver fearfully.

"BrambleClan is no more," the tabby leader meowed calmly. "You will come with us to our camp by the river, and as one, we will complete the TigerClan that was started so long ago."

"You're a mouse-brain, Hawkstar," Cloudtail meowed suddenly, his blue eyes glinting angrily. "If you think you can bring us all together, then you're just as stupid as Tigerstar was."

Hawkstar snorted, and surprisingly, he didn't lash out at the white tom. "No, I am much greater than my father ever was. Because, unlike him, I will succeed."

He flicked his tail, and suddenly, every able-bodied cat in HawkClan appeared around the BrambleClan cats, their claws unsheathed, their teeth bared. BrambleClan was outnumbered.

"I suggest you come with us, unless you all want to die," Blackclaw growled, appearing beside Hawkstar. He was much smaller than the huge leader, but he still looked intimidating, muscles rippling under his sleek black pelt, his amber eyes flashing.

Reluctantly, the BrambleClan cats allowed themselves to be driven off the island and toward the former RiverClan camp. No cat said anymore, though tension crackled like lightning in the air.

"What about the elders and the queens?" Blackpaw growled to his siblings. Apparently, Reedwhisker, who was padding nearby, had heard him.

"We're going back to fetch them tomorrow," he meowed. He seemed unlike most of the HawkClan cats - calmer and kinder. He reminded Blackpaw of Leafpool, making him take an instant liking to the tom.

--

After what seemed like an eternity, but was probably only a few minutes, the cats reached HawkClan camp - or was it TigerClan camp now? It was a small island, with the river forking off around it. The only way to cross seemed to be a set of slimy stepping stones.

Gradually, the BrambleClan cats made their way across, the HawkClan cats swimming around them. The camp wasn't that big. Backed onto the river were two large dens, which Blackpaw guessed were for the warrior's and apprentices. The whole thing actually looked quite disorderly, and there probably wasn't enough room for all the cats. As Blackpaw stared around, he heard Dustpelt's meow indignantly from somewhere behind him.

"You expect us to live _here_?"

**A/N: Yay, Brambly's finally dead! But now they have Hawky to deal with. O.o Hawky's probably gonna be a whole lot eviller than Brambly, and Nightpaw will discover plenty of interesting things about the two of them next chapter in a dream. And don't worry, this is only half of the story. There's still a whole lot more to come. Hehe.**


	15. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

**Sorry for the extremely long updateless period. I just really didn't feel like writing anything, and I don't know why. As well as that, I've been pretty busy lately. It's normal for teachers to load homework on us in May, but this year it's the worst. I also had to prepare for Arts Night, which I was performing in with the band, **_**and **_**I have a tonne of projects due. So, yeah… spare me!**

**Foxstar24 - I dunno if you would call the death I have planned for him worse… but I'm going to make sure it's long and painful. Mwahahaha!**

**Tigerstar-Demon - Yay, I'm finally evil! w00t! And yessers, Bramble is dead, and I'm glad for it. I didn't really like him as Brambleclaw either.**

**Wild Ninja Paige - XD, Bramblebutt, that suits him well. Yeah, poor everybody. Especially BrambleClan. They thought Bramblestar was bad… now they have to face Hawky.**

**AliKatNyah - Noooo, not fair! I want Outcast, but I don't have anything to buy it with. I did hear that Mousepaw became Mousewhisker, which made me happy because that's what I wanted him to be named.**

**Avian.American - Yes! XD I don't like Brambley. He bugs me, and he did as Brambleclaw as well. Thanks!**

Hawkstar hissed angrily and whirled around to face Dustpelt. Nightpaw winced at the ferocity in the leader's ice blue eyes. He looked as if he had been the one insulted, not the camp.

"Yes, I expect you to live here," he snarled. "Unless you'd rather begin another Great Journey."

Dustpelt's eyes widened and he shrunk under Hawkstar's gaze. By the way all the warriors were shaking their heads warily, Nightpaw had to wonder how hard the journey had actually been.

"Good," the tom snarled when no other cat said anything. He lifted his tail and padded towards the stepping stones. Instead of actually crossing them, he and the other HawkClan cats slipped into the river. Ashfur was the first to go across, his head lifted defiantly. He was followed by Kestrelwing, and then the rest of the BrambleClan cats.

As Nightpaw stepped onto the first stone, she heard Tigerstar's rough voice in her ear. _You will respect Hawkstar like you respected Bramblestar. He is his brother's equal, if not even greater._

She shivered, though it wasn't because she was cold. She didn't want to obey Hawkstar - he had killed Bramblestar as if he were merely a piece of prey - but if Tigerstar told her she must, then she had no other choice.

Once every cat had clustered together on the island, Hawkstar stood in front of them, and seemed to examine each and every one of them before finally speaking in a loud voice.

"Cats of TigerClan," he began, making many cats shift uncomfortably. They obviously didn't like being called TigerClan. "HawkClan and BrambleClan are no more. With Bramblestar's defeat, so is the defeat of his Clan, and the beginning of a new era. We will live together as one, with no boundaries nor petty conflicts. We will live in peace."

It was Crowfeather's turn to protest now. From somewhere in the front, Nightpaw heard him snort disbelievingly before speaking up.

"Live in _peace?_" he growled angrily. "There isn't even enough room for us to sleep in the dens! How can you expect us to live in peace?"

Hawkstar chuckled mirthlessly. "You will not be sleeping in the dens. Instead, you will be sleeping outside. Those who show their loyalty to TigerClan will be given the privilege of sleeping inside."

The former BrambleClan cats began muttering amongst themselves worried about what was to come.

"Now, you are excused. Get some sleep. Russetfur, you're on night watch."

With that, the crowd of cats separated, tension crackling in the air like lightning. The BrambleClan cats settled themselves in the center of camp, and even though the night was warm, they huddled up against each other, shivering.

Nightpaw, Firepaw and Blackpaw settled down together. Nightpaw could see Breezepaw laying down nearby, his eyes on her. The two of them had grown closer over the past few days, and she was beginning to think she actually kind of liked him.

"I don't like this, Blackpaw," Nightpaw mewed quietly to her brother. He sighed.

"Neither do I. But what can we do about it?"

After that, they said no more. Nightpaw rested her head on the cold, uncomfortable soil, and closed her eyes, trying to sleep. It was no use. The she-cat lay there for what seemed like hours until she finally drifted off into unconsciousness.

As usual, she found herself into the Dark Forest, gnarled trees towering over her, moss glowing abnormally on their trunks.

"It took you long enough," a voice snorted from behind her. The apprentice turned to see Tigerstar staring at her with piercing amber eyes.

"Where's Bramblestar?" she asked, fully expecting the tom to be here with his father. Tigerstar growled contemptuously, his tail tip twitching. Even his fur bristled slightly.

"That pathetic piece of fox-dung was sent to StarClan," he grunted. "According to little Spottedleaf, he wasn't actually evil. He only did what he did because I had… possessed him, I guess you could say."

"What?!" Nightpaw stared at Tigerstar, her deep blue eyes wide with shock. She hadn't even known it was possible to possess a cat. The tabby tom smiled cruelly.

"You heard me right. I would have taken over your father's mind as well, if he hadn't gone to Hawkstar on his own, asking for revenge against Bramblestar. It was so simple after that."

"Ashfur…?"

Tigerstar still had that vindictive smile plastered on his face. "Yes, Ashfur. Close your eyes."

Shakily, the she-cat did as she was told, and she immediately found herself standing in the forest. It was almost like she was dreaming. Standing before her were Ashfur, and a much younger Birchfall.

"Go find Firestar, Birchpaw," her father meowed to the tabby warrior. "Tell him Blackstar has been scented by the lake."

Birchfall nodded, his eyes wide. As quick as he could, he turned and sped off through the trees. When he was out of sight, the undergrowth rustled, and Hawkstar dipped his head to the leader.

"It has been done, Hawkfrost," he meowed. Hawkstar nodded.

"Once Firestar has been caught in the trap, find Squirrelflight and Leafpool. Brambleclaw will be along shortly."

The two of them began to head in the direction of the lake, triumphant smiles on their faces. Nightpaw followed them cautiously, making sure she was as silent as she could possibly be. She didn't know whether they could even see her or not.

When the three cats finally reached the lake side, the gray apprentices noticed something glinting coldly in the undergrowth. She blinked in horror as she realized the object was a fox trap.

A few moments later, a ginger pelt flashed in the trees, and a cat who looked almost exactly like Firepaw appeared, his green eyes flashing angrily, his claws unsheathed. Firestar was heading straight towards the lethal metal clamp.

"No, Firestar, don't! It's a trick!" Nightpaw screeched, leaping forward. The leader didn't hear her. Of course he didn't. This was the past, something that no cat could change.

"Blackstar, where ar-" Firestar was cut off as he gasped in pain, stepping right into the trap. Nightpaw watched helplessly as he fell to the ground and the snare closed on his neck.

Surprisingly, he didn't even lose a life. Instead, he lay there, gasping for breath, the noose cutting into his neck. Even in his weakened state, it only took Firestar a few moments to spot Hawkstar, standing over him with a twisted grin on his face, Ashfur by his side.

"Brambleclaw will be here shortly, and your murder will begin," the dark tabby snarled. Ashfur growled, though his face was wary, as if he hadn't realized it would be like this. Hawkstar turned to him.

"Find Squirrelflight. Let her witness Brambleclaw's treachery."

Nightpaw's father nodded obediently and bounded off in the direction of camp. There was a heartbeat of silence before Firestar spoke, his voice choked and ragged.

"Brambleclaw will never do it. If you want me dead, you may as well do it now," he gasped, his eyes narrowed in pain.

"Brave words for a kittypet," Hawkstar sneered. "But they won't do you any good. If Brambleclaw doesn't kill you by himself, Tigerstar will make him."

Despite his condition, a growl rumbled up in Firestar's throat at the sound of his enemy's name. "Tigerstar can do nothing. He has long passed on to a place where he can do no harm."

Tigerstar's son snorted. "Oh, you'd be surprised what the dead can do."

Behind Firestar, the ferns rustled and Bramblestar appeared. There was something strange about him, something different from the Bramblestar Nightpaw knew -a sort of light in his eyes, a twinkle.

The ThunderClan leader gasped as he spotted Firestar's body, and he stared at Hawkstar. As they spoke to each other, Nightpaw couldn't make out their words, but it was obvious they were discussing the fallen tom.

Finally, Bramblestar stepped towards Firestar. He stood over his leader, staring down into those pleading green eyes. At first he looked wary, undecided. It was as if he were fighting his own battle in his head. It looked as if he were about to step away, when that light in his eyes suddenly disappeared, as did the doubtfulness.

Just as Bramblestar leaned forward to tighten the noose, Squirrelflight burst through the bushes, her eyes wide.

"Brambleclaw, what are you doing?!" she cried. It was no use. She too watched with the same helpless expression as Nightpaw's as Bramblestar tugged on the trap - Tigerstar had possessed him.

Firestar convulsed, and just as Bramblestar had that night, he lost every life before the stunned cats' very eyes. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, the ginger tom fell still, his once fiery green eyes dull and lifeless.

With that, the scene before Nightpaw's eyes dissolved, and she found herself back in the Dark Forest, Tigerstar standing before her.

"So you see, Nightpaw," the tom growled softly. "Your precious father betrayed his Clan and his leader."

The she-cat was glaring at him with a new hatred in her eyes. She couldn't believe she had listened to this tom for so long, taken his advice and even learned his way of fighting. What had she been thinking?

"Now, you _will _obey Hawkstar on your own. If not, I'll force you to anyways."

**A/N: Meh, I didn't like that chapter. It wasn't too great. At least I got it over with.**


	16. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

**C'mon guys. Only 3 reviews? I know that last chapter was pretty terrible, but, still… -sniffles- Oh well. Hopefully, this one will be better than that last one. Anyways, we got our second dose of Hepatitis B shots today, and my entire arm is numb, so expect a lot of spelling mistakes.**

**AliKatNyah - I bet it was, too. He was probably trying to get back at Brambleclaw, but Hawkfrost didn't go into details, so he had no idea what he was actually getting into.**

**Shadowed Horizon - Meh, I'm not the hugest fan of flashbacks - I just had no idea what to write! :P Yeah, I think Ashfur was the traitor. See AliKatNyah's reply.**

**Foxstar24 - Lol, I don't hate Ashfur that much. He loved Squirrelflight, but she didn't love him back. You gotta feel sorry for the poor guy. I definitely know what he feels like.**

When Firepaw woke that morning, panic welled up in his chest. This wasn't the apprentice's den. It wasn't even BrambleClan camp! It took a few frightful moments for the young apprentice to remember the events of the nights before. But this revelation didn't ease his terrified thoughts. Instead, it made them even worse. What would Hawkstar do to them, now that Bramblestar was dead?

"Firepaw! You're awake!"

The ginger tom was snapped out of his thoughts at a familiar voice. He turned his head to see Minnowpaw padding up to him, a huge, cheerful grin on her face. He smiled shyly back at her and stood up.

"I've got great news!" she twittered as they padded towards the fresh-kill pile together. Firepaw silently picked out a scrawny mouse from a pile, waiting for his friend to continue.

"Hawkstar says that Pouncepaw, Pebblepaw and I are doing a hunting assessment today, and if we do well we're going to become warriors!" she exclaimed. Firepaw could see the glitter in her eyes, and knew that wasn't all she wanted to say. He was right.

"He also said that he wants to see how you, Blackpaw and Nightpaw are doing, so you're coming with us!" The grin on her face grew even wider. She didn't seem to notice how her companion shrunk nervously at these words. What if he didn't do good? Would he be made a kit again? He shivered at the thought. As much as he had loved the nursery, and the feeling he got from snuggling up to Squirrelflight at night, he didn't think he could handle a demotion.

Minnowpaw, through all her excitement, finally seemed to noticed the expression on Firepaw's face. She smiled at him.

"You're not actually _nervous, _are you?" she asked teasingly, a playful hint to her voice. She flicked his ear with her tail. "Hawkstar wouldn't make you a kit again if you do bad. He's always complaining about how we need more warriors now than ever. I don't really know why, though. Now that we're joined with you guys, it's not like we have any enemies or anything."

Even though he was still nervous, the ginger apprentice noticed with a hint of amusement that his friend talked a lot more than the rest of their Clanmates - except for maybe Pebblepaw, since the two siblings were so alike.

Their conversation was interrupted as Pouncepaw approached behind Minnowpaw. "Hurry up, Hawkstar says we're going out soon."

He glanced at Firepaw with a raised eyebrow. "You, too. Everybody else has already eaten. Our mentors are getting impatient."

Firepaw noticed a cold air about the tom that he hadn't really felt at the Gathering. It was like Pouncepaw was a completely different cat while he was at camp. He wondered what other traits the silver tom possessed.

Side-by-side, Firepaw and Minnowpaw padded towards the fresh-kill pile. She picked out a fish, it's scales still slimy and wet. Firepaw stared at it apprehensively and picked out a vole instead. Minnowpaw noticed, unfortunately for him.

"Don't tell me you've never eaten a fish before!" she cried. Her eyes widened in disbelief as the other apprentice shook his head. "Wow, you BrambleClan cats are deprived. C'mon, try it."

She pushed the gross-looking creature towards him, but he shook his head, refusing it. Minnowpaw shook her head, clicking her tongue in a motherly way. Firepaw giggled like a she-cat.

"Now, now, Firepaw," she meowed, her voice high-pitched. "You must eat your fish, or Tigerstar will come and get you in your sleep."

"Fine," Firepaw mumbled grudgingly. Minnowpaw's face lit up and she pushed the fresh-kill back towards him. He sighed, and leaned forward slowly. The she-cat watched him expectantly, leaning in close. Taking a deep breath, the ginger apprentice took the smallest bite he possibly could. Minnowpaw raised an eyebrow at him.

"Good enough, I suppose," she meowed disapprovingly. Firepaw grinned impishly at her and dug into his vole. He finished it at about the same time his friend finished her fish, and the two of them headed towards the group of cats that was their patrol.

"Finally!" Nightpaw meowed, bounding forward and nuzzling her brother. "I thought you guys would _never _get here!"

Voletooth, who seemed to be leading the large group of cats, snorted. "At least their here now. Let's get going."

The small brown tabby tom flicked his tail, and the patrol, which consisted of himself, Reedwhisker, Mosspelt, Minnowpaw, Pebblepaw, Pouncepaw, Blackpaw, Nightpaw and Firepaw headed out of the camp entrance.

Firepaw felt nervousness well up inside of him again as he looked around the unfamiliar territory, the cold breeze from the lake making him shiver. What if he got lost, and couldn't find his way back?

The tom growled inwardly at himself. Why did he have to act so paranoid all the time? He was so worrisome, yet he had no reason for it. If he _did_ get lost, he could just follow the lakeside back. If he was unsure of that, he would eventually wander into the old BrambleClan territory. It couldn't be too hard to find his way then.

"We separate here," Voletooth meowed, stopping and turning to face the patrol. "We will meet at this spot again at sunhigh. Remember, don't do anything mouse-brained - we could be watching you at any time."

The warrior's words didn't help. Firepaw could feel the butterflies fluttering about in his stomach. It felt as if they were at battle with one another, fighting as fiercley as Bramblestar and Hawkstar the night before.

Voletooth waved his tail, and the six apprentices bounded off in their own direction. Firepaw was probably the only one without a spring to his step. Casting his green eyes about the territory, he saw that Horseplace was nearby. He could easily use the old Twoleg nest as a landmark, and there would be plenty of prey inside as well.

As he came closer to the large building, the mouth-watering smell of mice wafted out from it's inside. He could also catch the musky scent of hay, horse and - cat? He had been told that the cats who had once lived there, Smoky and Floss, had been killed moons ago. So how could there be cat scent now?

Firepaw shivered again, though this time it wasn't from cold, but from fear. There could be any cat living there now, from a helpless kittypet to a murderous rogue to a-

"Firepaw?"

The ginger tom's thoughts were cut off by a familiar voice behind him, and he spun around to face it's owner. His jaw dropped in shock. Standing before him was Leafpool, looking perfectly healthy, as if nothing had happened and she were still BrambleClan's medicine cat. She, too, looked amazed at seeing the young apprentice.

After getting over her initial surprise, she spoke again, her voice filled with alarm. "Firepaw, you have to get out here. This is HawkClan territory. If they find you here, they'll kill you."

He shook his head sadly. "Hawkstar killed Bramblestar and took over our Clan. We're called TigerClan now."

The former medicine cat's eyes widened in disbelief, and then dulled with grief. She sighed quietly, the little wisp of breath filled with unhappiness.

"Bramblestar was a good cat before he became leader, you know," she meowed quietly. She began to usher Firepaw towards the barn with her tail. "Come, you must meet some cats."

He silently obliged, though his steps were wary. He didn't know what these cats were like, but he had to trust Leafpool. She had never lied to him before, and she would never befriend a dangerous cat. At least, that's what he thought…

"Stormfur, Millie, Brook, you in here?" Leafpool called into the dim light of the barn as they stepped inside. There was a slight rustling near the back, and a few hushed voices before three cats stepped into the open. Behind them were three kits, looking as if they had just learned to walk at that very moment. Firepaw's eyes widened. Standing before him were three cats he had only heard of in stories, all presumed dead.

"Who're you?" squeaked a tiny little voice from around the brown tabby she-cat's paws. The apprentice looked down to see a silver kit staring up at him with wide blue eyes.

"Thrushkit, this is my nephew, Firepaw," Leafpool meowed. She glanced at the other cats. "Firepaw, this is Stormfur, Millie, Brook, Thrushkit and Swiftkit."

All of them, except for the two kits, who had engaged themselves in a play-fight, smiled warmly at him. Firepaw ducked his head, blinking shyly. It was so strange, being around all these cats that he had heard of, but never met.

"Firepaw tells me that Bramblestar was killed awhile ago, and that Hawkstar has taken over both Clans. He renamed it TigerClan," Leafpool meowed to the other cats. Stormfur suddenly looked angry, almost furious.

"Tigerstar must have set him up to do this," he snarled angrily, his claws unsheathing. "Why else would Hawkstar name it _TigerClan?_ Did he make a Bonehill, too? Is he ruthlessly murdering innocent half-Clans, just like his wretched father?"

Firepaw was shocked. He didn't understand what Stormfur was saying, and apparently, neither did Leafpool, Millie or Brook. Despite this, all three of them had sympathetic looks in their eyes.

"This isn't like last time, Stormfur," Brook meowed gently, pressing up to him comfortingly. "Hawkstar isn't Tigerstar. At least this time there is no BloodClan to help him."

Stormfur deflated considerably, sheathing his claws. "I suppose," he meowed. "But I still want to get rid of him as much as I wanted to get rid of his father."

"D-Did you know Tigerstar?" Firepaw asked nervously. The gray tabby turned to him, and his eyes hardened again, though he didn't get as angry as last time.

"Yes, I knew Tigerstar. He tried to kill me and my sister. If Stonefur hadn't stuck up for us like he did…" Stormfur hesitated, shaking his head slightly. "I don't even want to think about it. Just know that he is the reason I am alive today."

The group of cats were silent for a moment, thinking about everything thy had just heard, when Millie piped up, "Leafpool, are you going to tell Firepaw about the… prophecy?"

Firepaw stared at the medicine cat and Millie, shocked. Leafpool stared at the former kittypet for a moment before nodding solemnly. "I suppose I should. He and his siblings are our only hope, aren't they?"

She turned to the ginger tom, taking a deep breath. "Firepaw, long ago, the very day that Bramblestar became deputy of ThunderClan, I received a prophecy. _The fearsome tiger will rise again, bringing a storm harsher than any other, and only fire in the blackest of nights can stop it._"

Firepaw stared at Leafpool. "So what does that have to do with me?" he asked, though he was already beginning to put it together in his head, like a jigsaw puzzle.

"I believe that the fire in the blackest of nights is you and your siblings. Firepaw, Blackpaw and Nightpaw."

Firepaw nodded, though the usual nervousness was welling up in his chest. How were he and his siblings supposed to save the Clans and stop the tiger? _Tiger_star. The very thought of the evil tom made him shudder. The menacing brown tabby had returned through his two sons - now, only one.

"I think you should go now, Firepaw," Leafpool meowed, already ushering him out of the barn. "You must tell your siblings of this. Try to bring them to meet me as soon as you can. We must figure out how to stop Hawkstar from really turning the four Clans into one, not just physically, but mentally, too."

**A/N: This is my longest chapter yet - 2110 words! w00t! I am extremely, extremely, extremely, **_**extremely **_**sorry for such a late update. I was majorly procrastinating, and when I finally got to writing the chapter, Word shut off and I had to rewrite the whole thing. It was the saddest moment of my life. :P So, once again, very sorry. Perhaps I'll give you all my address so you can come and stab me to death with pitchforks.**


	17. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

**Wow, lots of reviews for the last chapter! That lifted my spirits! I can't believe this story needs only four more reviews to reach the magic 100. I'm going to try making this chapter long, due to my lack of updating yet again, but I can't be sure yet. It depends on how everything turns out.**

**AliKatNyah - Phew, that's a relief. I don't want to die! Yeah, I feel sorry for Stormfur, too. Graystripe may be back, but that doesn't help him too much in this story, since Graystripe is just a shell of his former self.**

**smedly.norbert -Hmmm, good point. :P Thanks!**

**Foxstar24 - Yup, awesomeness. Nope, Graystripe isn't dead. He's just very distant from most of the Clan, and he doesn't talk much, so he isn't really noticed by Firepaw, Blackpaw or Nightpaw.**

**Wild Ninja Paige - Yeah, I loved Stormfur in the last chappie, too. He's one of my favourite characters, so of course I'm gonna make him awesome! Lol**

**Rubyheart481 - I don't like it. It's too… obvious, I guess. But I'm glad you like it! I can't believe I have so many reviews either! I was expecting hardly any, since this idea has been used so much.**

**Kossie Pipmas - You'll have to read some of the more recent chapters to figure out what happened to Brambleclaw. Mwahahahaha! -coughs- Anyways, thanks!**

**Summersea - Eek! I'm too young to die -cowers- Fine… -reluctantly hands over pitchfork then runs away screaming-**

As Firepaw padded out of the horseplace, he noticed it was almost sunhigh. This fact only made him even more nervous. He had been out for hours, and hadn't even caught a thing! What would Spiderleg say?

The tom hurriedly sniffed the air, but instead of the smelling prey, the strong scent of cat wafted into his nostrils. His green eyes widened and he looked around, searching for the source. At first, everything seemed to be calm, and he relaxed slightly. He lifted a paw, about to pad forwards, when he heard a rustling in a nearby bush, and saw a flash of back.

The ginger apprentice froze and slowly swivelled his head in the direction of the other cat. His eyes went even wider as the sleek shape of Reedwhisker stepped into view. Surprisingly, he didn't look angry, or even stern. Instead, he looked… understanding?

"Hello, Firepaw," came the warrior's voice. He was smiling warmly at the apprentice, which only confused Firepaw more.

"Reedwhisker, I was just-"

"You don't need to apologize to me," Reedwhisker meowed, cutting him off. "I know the cats in there. Leafpool saved my life once. I would visit them myself, if it hadn't been for Appletail."

"Appletail?" Firepaw asked quietly, dreading the answer.

"Hawkstar mentioned it at the last Gathering, I think. He said she was killed for meeting a gray cat by Horseplace. That cat was Stormfur." He sighed and shook his head, grief evident in his voice. Firepaw gasped.

"Before she died, she founded a group of rebels against Hawkstar. Plenty of HawkClan and BrambleClan cats have joined. I'm among them." The black tom glanced down at Firepaw thoughtfully. "Perhaps you and your siblings could join as well. We're meeting tomorrow in the former ShadowClan camp. You should come."

The apprentice nodded. "I will," he meowed. The thought of discussing actual rebellion around so many terrified him, but he knew he had to do it. After all, he was destined to save the Clans, as were Nightpaw and Blackpaw.

"Here, you'll need this if you don't want to get in trouble," Reedwhisker meowed. He disappeared into the bush, and came back out a moment later with two mice dangling from his jaws. He dropped them in front of Firepaw. The apprentice stared up at the warrior gratefully.

"I suggest you get going. Even with these, you'll be a little behind," the black tom meowed.

He nodded. "Thanks," he breathed before bounding off in the direction of BrambleClan's old territory.

--

**Nightpaw's POV**

Nightpaw trudged through the undergrowth, dewy plants soaking her underbelly, ferns brushing against her sides. This territory was unfamiliar to the she-cat, and so she had to grudgingly rely on Reedwhisker, who was walking in front of her.

A sad sigh escaped her as she padded along, staring straight ahead. She hadn't wanted to come. She wasn't one of Tigerstar's supporters anymore, but she knew that he would eavesdrop on the meeting through her. He had actually forced her to follow her two brothers to the group of rebels, threatening to take over her body and go anyways if she didn't.

Blackpaw glanced at her suspiciously. "You don't seem happy to be here," he meowed. He raised an eyebrow. "You aren't one of Hawkstar's supporters, are you?"

Nightpaw stared at him, appalled. "Never say that to me again!" she hissed. "I _hate _Hawkstar! He is the most horrible, blood-thirsty cat I have ever met!"

Her brother looked taken aback, but she didn't care. A few days ago, she would have shrugged the question off, laughing, and maybe felt a little guilty about it. But now, she knew she would never follow Hawkstar. She knew he too was being controlled by Tigerstar, though not in the way Bramblestar had been. Following him would mean she would be trailing after the former ShadowClan leader yet again, something she had sworn not to do.

"We're almost there," Reedwhisker called from up ahead. Nightpaw turned her blue eyes away from Blackpaw and back onto the trail ahead. The undergrowth began to thin, and suddenly she was staring at a small thorn tunnel, surrounding by a bramble wall. Reedwhisker glanced briefly back at the three apprentices, and then padded inside.

Cautiously, Nightpaw padded into the tunnel. Thorns tugged at her fur, reminding her of BrambleClan's old reinforcements. When she emerged through the tunnel, a sight greeted her that nearly brought tears to her eyes.

The old ShadowClan camp, which was a large dip in the ground, had long since been abandoned. The dens, made of various protective materials, were crumpling to the ground, bits and pieces of them scattered about the camp. It looked as if a great battle had once taken place here. A strange stench lingered faintly here, slightly familiar to HawkClan's distinctive odour.

But the state of the camp wasn't what made a lump rise to her throat. In the center of camp, surrounded by a group of warriors with grave expressions, was the body of a cat. Nightpaw recognized her faintly from the short time she had lived in TigerClan - Mosspelt. Her tortoiseshell pelt was matted with blood, and a terrified expression lingered eternally in her lifeless eyes.

Reedwhisker rushed forward, his eyes wide. "What happened?" he called, his voice shaking with obvious grief.

Nightpaw, Blackpaw and Firepaw approached the group of cats more slowly, the same look of wariness and fear on their faces. They hadn't known Mosspelt long enough to feel real grief, though they could sense that the she-cat's death was tearing the rest of the warriors apart. Nightpaw wondered whether she had held a high position among the rebel group.

"Hawkstar ordered her to guard the BrambleClan cats last night, and she refused, saying they were more noble than he would ever be," a cat Nightpaw recognized as Beechfur answered. A couple cats gasped in admiration.

"He let it go at first, with a warning. But then she continued to insult him. She told him that one day he would be overthrown by the prophesized cats," Nightpaw felt Firepaw tense beside her, "and the Clans would become peaceful once again. So he attacked her, and eventually killed her. Somehow, in the fight, she managed to take one of Hawkstar's lives before she died. We all know that Mosspelt appointed myself as deputy of this group, and so, with great sadness, and pride, might I add, I took over her position as leader."

Reedwhisker nodded mournfully before he spoke again. "I have three new cats who have joined our cause," the black tom meowed.

He ushered Nightpaw, Blackpaw and Firepaw, who had been listening with great fascination, forward with his tail. Nightpaw looked proudly at the other warriors with her head held high.

"This is Firepaw, Nightpaw and Blackpaw," Reedwhisker continued, glancing down at them. The group of cats suddenly became a tide of whispering, with warriors occasionally glancing at the apprentice.

Straining her ears, Nightpaw caught a few words of what they were saying, and what she heard nearly made her stumble backwards in shock.

"…Prophecy…"

"…Fire in the blackest of nights…"

"…Will destroy the tiger…"

"…Only hope…"

The gray she-cat glanced at Firepaw, who was looking around with wide, fear-filled eyes.

"You know something about this, don't you?" she asked forcefully. He nodded slowly, glancing at her out of the corner of his eye. "I'll tell you and Blackpaw later," he whispered quietly.

Nightpaw sighed, shaking her head slightly. Waiting for the various conversation to end, she began to examine the group of rebels, and realized quite few BrambleClan cats were among them. Sandstorm, Cloudtail, Brackenfur, Sorreltail, Brightheart, Ashfoot, Crowfeather and Whitetail. The only HawkClan cats that she recognized were Beechfur, Reedwhisker, Minnowtail and Pebblestream, though there were a lot of them as well.

Minnowpaw, Pebblepaw and Pouncepaw had been made warriors the day before. They were now named Minnowtail, Pebblestream and Pounceflight.

"Everyone, quiet!" Beechfur called. The former ShadowClan camp immediately fell silent, and the TigerClan cats turned to face the tom who they believed was their true leader.

"It is obvious we have found the prophesized cats, or rather they have found us, whether they know it or not," he began, shooting a glance the three apprentices' way. "The issue now is, how do we drive Hawkstar out - or even better, kill him?"

Nightpaw noticed that many cats were now staring up at Beechfur with admiration in their eyes, and she realized that he seemed like a natural-born leader. This was probably the first meeting he had ever led, yet the rebels were staring up at him, rapt with his speech.

"Firepaw met with Leafpool, Stormfur, Brook and Millie yesterday," Reedwhisker called out, pushing the ginger tom forward. "He may have some ideas."

Firepaw stared up at Beechfur, pure terror in his green eyes. The rebel leader smiled down at him warmly, though Nightpaw could tell her brother wasn't comforted in the slightest. In fact, he was shaking now, as if this were the worst possible thing that could happen to him.

"L-L-Leafpool didn't s-say how to f-fight Hawks-star," he stuttered. "Sh-She just s-s-said that Blackpaw, N-Nightpaw and I were d-destined to def-f-feat Tigerstar."

"Are you sure she said _Tigerstar?_" Beechfur demanded doubtfully. Firepaw nodded, shrinking under the tom's fierce green gaze.

"I think what she meant," Nightpaw meowed loudly. "Is that both Hawkstar and Bramblestar are and were controlled by their father. But now, Bramblestar has been defeated, so to get rid of Hawkstar would mean wiping the last of Tigerstar's line from the forest."

Beechfur eyed her carefully. "You are wise for your age,' he meowed. "And you are probably right. After talking to Stormfur, I doubt Bramblestar would have become what he was if it hadn't been for Tigerstar messing him up."

He paused before speaking again. "Nightpaw, Firepaw, Blackpaw, you will go to Leafpool and Stormfur again tomorrow, at any cost. You will discuss ways to defeat Tigerstar with them. They have been a constant source of information since Appletail founded this group. I pray to StarClan they don't fail us now. Meeting dismissed."

With that said, many of the cats lifted themselves to their paws and began to pad towards the tunnel, the three siblings included.

_You will tell Hawkstar about this._

Nightpaw stumbled as the harsh voice of Tigerstar echoed in her head. The she-cat quickly straightened herself and glanced around her to see if anyone had noticed before she replied.

_I will not, _she retorted angrily when she had decided no one was looking at her. _You can't make me do anything._

_Actually, I can, _his voice snorted. _Surely, you haven't forgotten Bramblestar already?_

_I don't care if you take over my body. I would rather you betray my entire family in my body than betray them myself because you think you can scare me with your petty threats._

_Very noble. But useless. Continue to defy me, and I _will _possess you._

_I hate you._

_Well, that decides it then, doesn't it?_

Suddenly, the strangest feeling came over Nightpaw. It was as if some foreign entity had entered her body, slowly pushing her conscious away, and there was nothing she could do about it. Her vision began to dim, her mind began to swim. The she-cat crumpled to the ground, right there in front of the rebel cats, and everything faded to black.

--

Nightpaw dazedly blinked open her eyes, her mind sluggish, as if she had been asleep for hours on end. Lifting her head, she looked around, and her eyes widened. She was lying in an unfamiliar hollow, under a starless sky. The only source of light in the dark sky was the full moon, quivering brightly over the trees.

When she finally tore her eyes away from the strange sight, she realized something. How could the moon be full again, only a few days after the last Gathering? Without realizing it, the apprentice's heart began to beat faster, and the blood pulsed loudly in her ears. Something was very, very wrong here.

The hollow itself was something different altogether, a place she had heard described in stories, but never thought it possible to see. Four tall oaks towered over her, protecting her from the things that could be lurking atop the steep hills. In the center of the hollow was a great rock, bigger than she had ever seen before. It had been worn down with paw prints and claw marks, an indication that many cats had tread there before. Somehow, Nightpaw was lying in the middle of Fourtrees, undamaged by Twolegs, more beautiful than any place she had seen in her life.

"Nightpaw, you're awake!"

At the sound of the familiar voice, Nightpaw whipped around. Her eyes went even wider. Running towards her, her fur littered with stars, was her dead mother.

"Squirrelflight?" she cried. "But you're dead!"

"And thank StarClan you're not!" her mother replied. The she-cat began to cover her in loving licks, and Nightpaw had to admit, it made her feel a lot better, no matter how confused she was. It was obvious she was in StarClan - she realized that now - but how could she still be here, and not be dead?

**A/N: Ohhhh, cliffy! Don't worry, I will be continuing with Nightpaw's POV next time, so you don't have to hear me drone on about the others while waiting for this. I'm very, very sorry for how long it took me to update. Nearly a month, was it? I was actually on an end-of-year school trip to Quebec City for the past two weeks. I thought I was going to finish this chapter before I left, but apparently not. So, to make up for it, I made it long. 2500 words. 7 pages on Microsoft Word. 2 hours to write. This is a very long Author's Note, isn't it?**


	18. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

**Yet another late update. You'd think that I'd have more time to write, now that school's out, but it's not like that at all. If I'm not swimming or having a neighbourhood water gun fight, I'm off camping or biking. Summer has always been busy for me. Along with that, I could not figure out how to begin this chapter for so long. It took me about a week of laying awake at night trying to write a beginning in my head. Stupid writer's block… :P**

**Tigerstar-Demon - Actually, Nightpaw wants to kill off all of Tigerstar's kin. I think she forgot about Tawnypelt and her kits… O.o. Yeah, anyways, while Tigerstar's in Nightpaw's body, he's definitely going to try and kill Firepaw and Blackpaw.**

**Foxstar24 - Thanks! The dead cat is Mosspelt. I would never kill off Tawnypelt! Don't even think those vulgar thoughts! XD**

**Silverstorm of RiverClan - Weeeell, I didn't exactly update soon… but I still updated! Yay!**

**Foxheart223 - w00t! 100 reviews! -throws massive cookie with 100 in icing on top- The rebels aren't going to kill Hawkstar… but they're going to try. Mwahahaha!**

**AliKatNyah - Yay for Nightpaw! Your in Japan? That's awesome. I've always wanted to go there, but the farthest I've ever been from Canada is Florida. XD**

**Nightclaw - I'm amazed I wasn't slower. If I had been, it would have taken me another day to finish the chapter, so I guess it's a good thing I wrote it that quickly. Yeah, I know Beechfur is pretty random. I just chose him because his personality's never been developed, so even if he isn't really a good leader, no one really knows that.**

**bloomforever - Thanks! Nightpaw will be getting control of her body again, but it won't be for at least two chapters. Tigerstar needs time to cause some mayhem.**

**Canada Day Paige - Yeah, the few times Mosspelt was shown, she was pretty awesome. Lol. I love Reedwhisker, but I don't know why. I'm not sure whether you're being sarcastic about the Squirrelflight thing, cause I'm stupid like that. When I read the chapter again she seemed very OOC to me. I'll try harder this time.**

**Lillyrod - Thanks! Yeah, Tigerstar is a jerk, lol. I'm not a huge fan of Squirrelflight. She was so much better in Midnight and Moonrise as Squirrelpaw. I loved her then.**

"I see you've finally awoken, Nightpaw."

Nightpaw whipped around in surprise at the sound of the strange, yet slightly familiar voice. It sounded almost like Firepaw's, but it was also different - stronger, and much more confident. As her blue eyes found the owner of this voice, they widened in shock.

Standing before her was a cat she had only seen once before, in a sort of flash back shown to her by Tigerstar. Only then, his flaming orange fur, which glittered with stars, had been matted and bloody, clinging pathetically to his body. His bright green eyes had been dull and pleading, bargaining silently with his own murderer. Staring at her, a slight, lopsided smile on his face, was Firestar.

Squirrelflight grinned and bounded towards her father, brushing up against him affectionately. She then glanced at the expression on Nightpaw's face, and her smile grew wider. "I think she knows who you are," she laughed.

Nightpaw nodded slowly, and then shook herself out of her reverie. It was a strange feeling, staring at her own dead grandfather, a cat who had been described in so many stories as the saviour of the Clans, but she knew she had to get over it.

"Hi, Firestar," she squeaked. The tom smiled and dipped his head towards her, his tail twitching in amusement.

"Welcome to StarClan, Nightpaw," he meowed kindly. Even though those four words had been simple enough, they confused the gray she-cat. She still didn't know how she could be here in StarClan, when Squirrelflight claimed she was still alive.

"How am I in StarClan, if I'm not dead?" she asked, regaining her usual confidence. She cocked her head slightly, her ear twitching, a confused expression on her face.

"I knew you would ask that," Firestar meowed. Slowly, the starry ginger tom sat down and stared straight at Nightpaw. "Nightpaw, right now, you aren't in StarClan's _real _territory."

"Where am I, then?" she demanded, still standing.

"You are in the gateway to StarClan - the place where the newly-deceased come, and where their fate is decided. If the cat has done terrible things in their life, they are sent to the Dark Forest, but if they have lived by the warrior code, they are led to StarClan."

Behind Firestar, thousands of stars began to form out of nowhere and created a ramp up into the black night sky. The tom gestured towards it with his tail.

"That is the path to StarClan. If you were to go up this path, you would be truly dead, and would have no chance of regaining your body. If you went there, you would recognize the lake where you live now, though there would be no borders. As well as that, there would be dozens of starry pools scattered everywhere."

This time, the tom turned towards a small pool that Nightpaw hadn't noticed when she had first looked around.

"These are starpools. If you look into them, you can see everything that is happening by the lake. There are also special starpools, reserved for medicine cats, that can show the future and declare prophecies. The living can see these pools in the sky - in fact, they are recognized as Silverpelt."

Nightpaw's eyes widened. "So… Silverpelt is really a bunch of holes in the sky?" she asked hesitantly.

"Sort of," Firestar replied, shrugging his shoulders slightly. "I guess you could call them that. If you looked through this one now, you would be able to see Tigerstar in your body."

Nightpaw needed no persuading. She instantly rushed towards the pool and looked down into it. Before her eyes, an image began to form in the silver water. Her own body was lying slumped on the ground, a crowd standing around her. As she watched, she sensed Tigerstar's soul taking over her body.

Her body began to lift itself to it's feet slowly, clumsily, as if she really had fainted. The blue eyes that were her own began to look around in confusion, though the real Nightpaw wasn't fooled - she could see the hidden malice within their depths. The sight made her wince.

"Are you okay, Nightpaw?" she heard Sandstorm ask, and her head nodded.

"I'm fine," she heard her voice mutter quietly. "I don't know what happened. I just started to feel so dizzy, and then everything went black."

Tigerstar was a good actor. Her body had a very disoriented, bewildered expression on it's face, and her head was shaking slightly. Of course, he'd had plenty of practice, toying with poor Bramblestar's body for so long.

"Come on," Blackpaw meowed, moving forward to support the cat who he thought was his sister, Firepaw approaching on the other side. "We'll bring you back to camp. Try not to let Hawkstar see you like this."

Nightpaw's body nodded slowly, and leaning on her brother's shoulders, she began to make her way towards the thorn tunnel. The real Nightpaw growled under her breath - she hated how Tigerstar was taking advantage of Blackpaw and Firepaw.

Watching the scene from over her shoulder, Firestar sighed, snapping Nightpaw back to Fourtrees. As the image faded back into the water, she realized her claws were unsheathed, and her fur was bristling. Reluctantly, the she-cat sheathed her claws and flattened her pelt.

"We need to get you back in your body before Tigerstar can cause any real trouble," Firestar meowed solemnly, watching her. "I hope he isn't still down there when your brothers visit Leafpool."

Nightpaw stared at the former ThunderClan leader, a sudden optimism surging through her. "You mean I can regain control over my body?" she asked excitedly.

Firestar nodded slowly. "It's possible. Bramblestar was never able to because he had been influenced too much by Tigerstar when he was in his body. Even though you were manipulated as well, it didn't even take you a moon to realize how much of a monster Tigerstar really was."

Nightpaw was nearly hopping up and down, now. "How do I do it, then?" she asked, the joy obvious in her voice.

"You would need to enter Tigerstar's mind multiple times and weaken his defences first. Then, you would focus all your energy solely on your body, and imagine your soul entering it and pushing Tigerstar away," he replied. "But you must understand how much of a risk this is. If you fail, your soul could be stuck in your body forever, without really controlling it."

Nightpaw nodded enthusiastically, not really realizing what could happen to her through her excitement. _I can return to my body, _she thought gleefully, drowning out Firestar's words. _I can actually return to my body!_

"Firestar, Nightpaw, you better come see this," Squirrelflight meowed from where she still sat by the starpool, staring into it's silver depths. At her mother's tone, Nightpaw's exhilaration faltered. Cautiously, the she-cat padded towards the pool and saw that another image had appeared.

Nightpaw's body was laying in the dirt place, tearing a hole in a vole's body with it's claws. Two long claw marks were in the vole's side, looking almost like bite marks. When her body was satisfied with it's handiwork, it twisted around and picked up two red berries delicately in it's jaws - death berries. It then squirted the crimson juice onto the marks, looking exactly like blood. For the final touch, it stuffed the deflated death berries right into the body and grinned maliciously.

"What in StarClan's name is Tigerstar up to now?" Squirrelflight hissed beside Nightpaw, her green eyes narrowed angrily.

In the pool, Nightpaw's body lifted itself to it's feet and padded out of the dirt place, the vole dangling in it's jaws by it's tail. Before any of the watching cats realized what was happening, it had made it's way over to Firepaw and handed him the vole.

"For you," Nightpaw heard her body meow with a smile. She felt her jaws clench at the fake cheeriness in it's tone. _Firepaw must be blind if he doesn't realize something is wrong, _she thought angrily.

"Are you okay, Nightpaw?" her brother asked quietly, eyeing her body suspiciously. "You've been acting weird ever since we got back from the meeting."

"I'm fine," the body meowed. "Although I guess I have been a little off since then, haven't I?"

"Whatever you say," Firepaw muttered. "I'm going to wait over there."

With that, the ginger tom raised himself to his paws and began to pad towards the other side of camp. Glancing backwards cautiously to make sure Nightpaw's body wasn't watching, he tossed the vole straight into the river. Nightpaw let out a sigh of relief, proud of her brother. She didn't know what she would have done if he had actually eaten the lethal fresh-kill.

"Something is up with that she-cat," she heard him mutter under his breath as he stared at the cat who he thought was his sister, before padding off towards Blackpaw.

"At least we know Firepaw is safe for now," Firestar meowed. "We just have to hope Blackpaw realizes what's going on as well."

The real Nightpaw was about to pull away from the pool, when she spotted Breezepaw bounding towards her body, the elated grin on his face that he reserved only for her. She winced noticeably. The poor tom didn't know what he was getting himself into at the moment. _Don't do it, Breezepaw! Please! _she thought desperately, wishing he could hear her.

"Hey, Nightpaw!" he called happily. "You want to go hunting later? Whitetail and Weaselfur said we're allowed."

Nightpaw's head nodded, a slow grin spreading across it's face. "Of course, Breezepaw," it meowed happily, as if it couldn't think of any thing better. Of course, it probably couldn't. This would just be a chance to hurt Breezepaw, and to turn him against her forever.

Firestar noticed the pained expression on her face, and gently pulled her away from the pool with his tail. "I don't think you need to watch anymore," he meowed gently. "If you ever want to return to your body, you need to rest."

Nightpaw glared at him, wanting more than anything than to continue watching Breezepaw, knowing she may never truly see him again. But the ginger tom wasn't going to give up. He pointed towards the bed of leaves she had been laying in when she woke up, and spoke with the authority of a seasoned leader.

"Now."

**A/N: So, that's this chapter for ya. Okay, I admit it, I partly stole the soul-switching thing from the spirit walking the Chronicles of Ancient Darkness by Michelle Paver. I couldn't really think of anything else, and it just fit so well! For those of you who haven't read the series, you should. It's really good. I'm hooked.**


	19. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

**I am **_**really, really, really, really, really **_**sorry for not updating for such an insanely long time. If my math is correct (which it probably isn't) I haven't updated for more than 10 months. That's nearly a year. Do you know how terrible I feel about that? I wouldn't be surprised if everyone has completely forgotten about this story. I don't blame you if you have. I was about halfway through the writing of the chapter before I discontinued, and I haven't written a word since. Then, **_**10 f-cking months later, **_**I reread the story, and decided to start writing it again. Hopefully, I'll finish it this time around. If it will make you all a little less angry at me for not updating, I'll go jump off a cliff. (:**

**No review replies this time, because there are way too many.**

The hot greenleaf sun beat down upon the TigerClan camp, having risen much higher since Blackpaw, Nightpaw and Firepaw had set out for the meeting. It's smoggy heat slowed nearly every cat down to a sluggish pace, and few cats dared to venture outside the camp for risk of being completely fried.

Blackpaw lay underneath a large tree, glad of the shade it's leafy branches provided. Laying sprawled on his back, his eyes closed, he fervently wished his coat wasn't as dark and thick as it was, but there was nothing he could do about it. Dustpelt didn't seem very eager to teach him how to swim, so the only way to relieve himself of the dreadful heat was to stay where he was and hope it didn't get any hotter.

"Blackpaw?"

At the sound of Firepaw's voice, the young apprentice reluctantly opened his eyes and turned to look at his smaller brother. "What?" he muttered groggily.

Firepaw shifted his weight uncomfortably and looked down at his paws for a moment, before looking back up at Blackpaw. "Have you noticed that Nightpaw's been acting strange ever since we got back from the meeting?" he asked slowly.

Blackpaw shook his head, confused. "Not really," he replied, wondering if he had missed something important. Though fiercely loyal, he could be a bit of an airhead sometimes - probably how he managed to eat death berries without realizing it, back when Bramblestar was still alive.

"Oh," Firepaw meowed quietly. "Maybe I was just imagining it then."

The black tom raised an eyebrow doubtfully. Though extremely shy and non-talkative, even around those he knew and trusted, Firepaw could be much more observant than a cat his age should be. It seemed for every word he actually said, there were a million more thoughts behind it.

"She's probably just sick or something," Blackpaw meowed encouragingly. "After all, she _did _faint in front of all those cats."

"Maybe," Firepaw muttered. The ginger apprentice sat down in the shade without another word, staring off into space. Blackpaw eyed his brother thoughtfully before speaking again.

"Do you think we should go see Leafpool today? If we get it off our backs quickly, then we won't be pestered by the other cats to go," he suggested, slightly excited at the thought of seeing the former medicine cat again. It would also be pretty interesting to see Stormfur, Brook and Millie, and to talk with them too.

"I guess," Firepaw meowed, his voice distant, as if he hadn't really heard what Blackpaw had said.

"Great!" Blackpaw exclaimed enthusiastically. "I'll go tell Nightpaw now," he continued, spotting his sister out of the corner of his eye. She didn't appear to be doing anything interesting. Just lazing around and watching their Clanmates as they padded past.

"Nightpaw!" he called bounding towards her. She looked up in interest at his voice, her ear twitching slightly. He skidded to stop in front of her, and grinned. "Firepaw and I are going to see Leafpool now," he meowed. "You want to come?"

She nodded earnestly. "Of course!" she replied in a cheery voice. Her tone freaked Blackpaw out. It was very rare for her to be as happy as she was now, and there always had to be a reason. He saw no reason at all now.

"You okay?" he asked warily, as if she were about to jump at him at any second. She blinked innocently.

"I'm perfectly fine," she meowed. "Why do you ask?"

"No reason," Blackpaw muttered. He glanced back at Firepaw, who raised an eyebrow at him, as if to say 'I-told-you-so'. He sighed, then turned to Nightpaw. "Let's go."

Without another word, the black apprentice began to head back towards his brother, and they met underneath the large tree. All three siblings sat down in the shade in an attempt to escape the blistering heat for the moment.

"So, do we ask someone if we can go out, or what?" Nightpaw asked, her tail-tip twitching slightly. Firepaw shrugged, but stayed silent, as usual.

"Maybe we should just leave without telling anybody," Blackpaw suggested slowly. "It's not like we'll be missed for a few hours. They probably won't send us out anywhere in this heat."

"But what if we get caught?" Nightpaw cried anxiously, her dark blue eyes widening. Both Blackpaw and Firepaw turned to stare at her suspiciously.

"When have _you _ever cared about getting caught?" Blackpaw accused, his eyes narrowing. His sister was the rebel of their little group, and usually wouldn't take any punishment without a fight. His statement seemed to make her freeze for a moment before she replied.

"I know I usually don't," she retorted falsely. "It's just, Hawkstar's been much more strict lately. The tiniest little thing will send you to the elder's den for a week. And I, for one, don't exactly enjoy cleaning ticks off those old stinkbags."

"How do you know that?" Blackpaw asked, his voice full with contempt. "Have you been secretly plotting with your precious leader?"

"Never!" Nightpaw hissed. Though she spoke the same words, she sounded nothing like the Nightpaw from before the meeting, the one who hated Hawkstar with every fibre of her heart.

"Well, then stop arguing and just let us go!"

From somewhere in the background, Firepaw sighed impatiently. "Can both of you just calm down?" he mewed quietly. "I agree with Blackpaw. If we ask anybody to go out in this heat, it'll probably just make them suspicious."

"Fine," Nightpaw growled. Blackpaw could have sworn he heard her let out a hiss of frustration, as if some plan had been foiled. But why hadn't she told her brothers what this plan was? Were they keeping secrets from each other now? Or did this have something to do with her odd transformation since the meeting? Blackpaw shook his head. Whatever it was, his sister obviously wasn't going to tell them. It was like she had turned into a completely different cat.

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The big barn loomed on the horizon as the three apprentices padded towards it, a welcome sight to each and every one of them. The sun beat down on their pelts as they padded across the marshy land that was RiverClan's former territory, their muscles tight with excitement.

"Coming to see us, are you?" meowed a deep voice behind them, a slight chuckle behind the mysterious tone. The siblings turned slowly, afraid that one of Hawkstar's supporters had come looking for them after all.

"Hi, Stormfur," Firepaw meowed, making Blackpaw relax considerably. As he took in the big gray tom, he couldn't help but feel slightly awestruck. He had known he would be meeting the storied loner, but it was still a little hard to take in.

"Hello, Firepaw, Blackpaw, Nightpaw," Stormfur replied, a smile on his face. "Why are you back so soon? It was only yesterday that we last saw you, Firepaw."

"Do you remember the group of rebel cats against Hawkstar?" Blackpaw asked. Stormfur turned to him, suddenly tense.

"Yes, I do," he meowed. "Those cats are brave, standing up like they are. If I were still among the Clans, I would have joined them. How is Mosspelt?"

Blackpaw and Firepaw stiffened - Nightpaw didn't seem to care, as if death were an everyday thing. Nowadays, he wouldn't be surprised if it was. "Mosspelt is dead, Stormfur," Blackpaw muttered solemnly.

Stormfur's eyes widened with sudden grief, and he bowed his head quietly. "Mosspelt was a good cat. Strong. Bold," he meowed. The gray tom sighed, and looked back up at the siblings. "You still haven't told me why you've come."

"We went to one of their meetings today, and they said they found the prophesized cats - it was pretty obvious they meant us - and they asked us to come back here, and figure out how to kill Hawkstar with you."

"Okay," he meowed. "But if you three really are the prophesized cats, then you probably won't need my help that much."

Blackpaw eyed him doubtfully as he turned and began to pad towards the Horseplace. Shrugging his shoulders slightly, the black apprentice and his two siblings began to follow the large gray tom.

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"Leafpool!" Blackpaw cried happily as he padded into the draughty barn and spotted the tabby she-cat sitting beside Millie, Brook and the kits. He rushed forward and pressed himself up against her, remembering when she had healed him the moon before. Though it had only been a month since he had last seen her, it seemed much, much longer - another time entirely.

"I'm glad to see you, Blackpaw," the former medicine cat purred, smiling. "And you, Nightpaw."

Nightpaw gave her a half-hearted smile, then turned away, almost as if she were trying to hide something from the she-cat.

She pulled back, then surveyed all three apprentices with sharp amber eyes. "So, what brings you here so soon since Firepaw's last visit?"

"The rebel group sent them," Stormfur meowed, settling into place beside her.

"Of course," she meowed, nodding solemnly. "I knew this day would come eventually."

All three siblings stared at her with curiosity in their eyes, then glanced at each other. Well, Firepaw and Blackpaw did. Both of them were angry with their sister at the moment.

"What do you mean?" Blackpaw asked the medicine cat tentatively, afraid of her answer. Leafpool was silent for a long moment before heaving a deep sigh and looking each apprentice straight in the eye.

"It is time for you to learn the truth about Firestar's fall," she meowed, her voice cracking on the last word. Her amber eyes filled with grief, though she managed to blink away the tears that sprang to their surface.

Blackpaw's eyes went wide at her words, remembering that fateful night after he had eaten the death berries and seen Bramblestar and Leafpool's fight. The terrible tabby leader had spoken of a "truth." It was the reason why he had murdered Squirrelflight and turned the entire Clan against their medicine cat.

"Squirrelflight and I were the only cats to know this truth, other than Ashfur - if he hadn't hated Bramblestar as much as he did, none of this would have happened." Blackpaw's eyes went even wider, if that were possible, and Firepaw let out a gasp. Nightpaw was the only one who remained unfazed.

"What… what do you mean?" Blackpaw finally managed to stutter out. Leafpool stared at him solemnly.

"Long before you were born, Bramblestar and Squirrelflight were in love. It seemed to everyone around them that they were meant for each other, until the arguments started. They fought over the tiniest things. Your mother turned to Ashfur for support, and he fell in love with her as well. She was even beginning to return these feelings.

"However, after the badger attack, Squirrelflight rejected your father for Bramblestar once more. It seemed their quarrels were finally over, and they were getting along perfectly. One thing they didn't know was that Ashfur was becoming increasingly angry. He wanted Squirrelflight to feel the same pain that he had felt after she left him. So, he and Hawkstar began making plans. They were going to lure Firestar into a fox trap, where Bramblestar would find him on his way to meet Hawkstar by the lakeside. Bramblestar would then kill Firestar and achieve his ambitions of becoming Clan leader, with Squirrelflight and myself as witnesses."

Leafpool's eyes darkened. "As you might have imagined, the plan worked perfectly. The two brothers lived to conquer the Clans, turning four into two, and the forest was sent into an age of darkness."

There came a low, dark chuckle from the barn entrance before anyone could say anything else. All four loners and the apprentices spun around to see a small HawkClan patrol standing in the doorway, their eyes gleaming with dark humour.

Rowanclaw headed the patrol of four, followed by Smokefoot, Voletooth and Oakfur. The huge ginger tom smirked at the loners and lashed his tail from side to side. "That's quite an interesting story Leafpool, but I'm afraid we're going to have to cut it short."

Beside Rownaclaw, Smokefoot snickered, and Blackpaw could see his claws flash in the sun as he unsheathed them.

"Brook, Leafpool, Millie, take the kits and run," Stormfur hissed, unsheathing his own claws and baring his teeth. The three apprentices did the same.

"But, Stormfur-" Brook cried.

"_Go!_ I'll be fine. I swear it."

The three she-cats glanced at each other, obvious reluctance in their eyes, but they knew they had to listen to the gray tom. In a flash, Millie and Brook had picked up Swiftkit and Thrushkit by the scuff, and all three of them darted towards the back entrance.

"Oh no you don't!" Rowanclaw roared, lunging forward. What he didn't realize was that Stormfur was standing in the way. The two muscular toms met in a flurry of teeth and claws and began wrestling on the barn floor, hay and dust flying out from underneath their struggling bodies.

At the same time, the rest of the patrol leaped at the apprentices. Blackpaw found himself facing off against Voletooth, one of the smaller cats in the Clan, but also one of the fiercest.

Blackpaw let out a yowl and charged straight at Voletooth, head lowered, with the intention of crashing straight into the other tom's chest - one of the advantages of being the smaller opponent. However, this advantage didn't work this time around. With a snicker, the HawkClan leisurely lifted a paw and batted Blackpaw away with a blow to the head.

Blackpaw flew to the side, crashing into a nearby hay bale. The young tom's head spun, and his vision went blurry. He lay on the ground for a few moments, stunned, before Voletooth pounced on him again and he was forced to keep fighting.

However, the young tom's movements were sluggish, and he was still disoriented from the blow to his head. As well, as he fought, he could feel an acute pain in his front right leg that prevented him from attacking properly. He didn't stand a chance against the older warrior. He only managed to get in a few feeble swipes before he was pinned against the barn floor, the straw pressing into his back. Before he could even try to get away, Voletooth's fangs were at his throat.

_Here I come, StarClan, _the black apprentice thought, closing his eyes tightly and bracing himself for death. _At least I came out fighting like a warrior._

But instead of sinking down into his throat, Voletooth's fangs only pierced his skin lightly, only drawing two tiny pinpricks of blood from his flesh.

"Don't move," Voletooth hissed through the fur in his mouth. Filled with relief, Blackpaw obeyed. He was so thankful to be alive that he would do anything anyone said right then - even though after Hawkstar got to him, he wouldn't be breathing for much longer.

As he lay there with the warrior's teeth placed threateningly against his throat, he heard a hiss of pain from the other side of the barn, followed by a loud yowl of triumph. "We've got them all!"

Blackpaw slowly craned his head around to see that Firepaw, Nightpaw and even Stormfur had been pinned down as well. The apprentice slumped. There was no hope now. They were all going to die, and there was nothing they could do about it. _Stormfur doesn't deserve this, at least, _he thought angrily. _It's our fault he was captured. If we hadn't come today…_

"Get up," Voletooth hissed, interrupting Blackpaw's thoughts. The tom obliged, knowing any disobedience now would mean an even sooner death. The other prisoners did the same without disagreement, though Blackpaw could see Nightpaw muttering something in her captor's ears that was making him smile.

Rowanclaw stepped to the head of the grim patrol, shoving an exhausted Stormfur along with him, and faced the row of captured cats.

"You are now prisoners of Hawkstar, the all-powerful leader of TigerClan" he declared with all the authority of the elite warrior that he was. "Any rights that you previously had have been stripped, and you will be treated no better than a hedgehog." Blackpaw gulped audibly at the last sentence. "All elite warriors have the right to kill you at the first sign of disobedience until Hawkstar decides your punishment."

His speech over, Rowanclaw turned towards the barn entrance, shoved Stormfur forward once again, and meowed, "Let's go."


	20. Chapter 18

Chapter 18

**Well, I'm glad at least a few people remembered this story. I got more reviews than I expected after so long, so I'm happy. Everyone who reviewed the last chapter gets a virtual cookie! :D Anyways, I made a cover for this story, because I was extremely bored, and I'd already written this chapter before I even posted the last one. If you want to see it, the link's in my profile. And yes, I do realize it's extremely terrible. x)**

**Angelic Zombie: Ahah, sorry about that. I'd actually completely forgotten about this story 'til a little while ago. :S But I'm glad you're happy!**

**Lightningstreak: Thanks! I never really liked Hawkfrost, but I like him in this story because he's completely psychotic. And psychotic people are sexeh. xD**

**Lightkit: I think I do remember you. Weren't you the one who threatened to murder me with a chainsaw when I killed Squirrelflight? x) And I didn't want them to capture Stormfur either, but he escapes later!**

**WildCroconaw: Probably hide with Millie and Brook somewhere far, far away.**

Though the distance from the barn to TigerClan camp was short enough, this particular trip seemed to take hours. The heavy green-leaf sun pounded it's heat into Firepaw's back, making him sweat in places they hadn't thought possible. His paws sank into the marshy ground, covering his lower legs in mud that quickly dried and made it very uncomfortable to move. It seemed all of nature was turning against the four pitiful captives that trudged ever so slowly along the shore of the lake. As well as that, the apprentices' captors were walking slower than was normal just to torture their prisoners, and every few minutes they would give their respective hostage a hard shove. By now, poor Blackpaw was favouring his right front leg, which he had hurt in the squabble, and every once in awhile, he would be pushed so hard he would fall face first into the dirt. Even Stormfur could be seen limping occasionally, though he would usually regain control of his body after a few heartbeats.

The only cat that wasn't being given a hard time, it seemed, was Nightpaw. She walked unmolested beside Oakfur, almost as if she _wanted_ to get back to camp and be taken prisoner. Every time he saw her, Firepaw's thoughts flashed back to the scene right after the fight, when his sister had whispered something in her captor's ear that had made him smile so cruelly.

"We're here," Smokefoot's malicious voice whispered in Firepaw's ear. The ginger apprentice was snapped out of his thoughts as the rushing of the river that surrounded TigerClan camp hit his ears. Though the merry gurgling would normally be a happy, comforting sound, at that moment, it sounded like the gong of death.

The four cats were forced across the stepping stones, pushed and shoved just as roughly as they had been on land. When they finally reached the island, it seemed as if the entire Clan had gathered to see their imprisonment. Dozens of eyes burned into the Firepaw's fur, making him duck his head in shame. He absolutely hated to be the center of attention, and this was the most attention he had ever received.

When the young tom gathered the strength to look up again, he saw that all of Hawkstar's supporters were glaring at him with anger and hatred on their face. But these fierce stares were rivalled by the looks of sympathy and regret he was receiving from both the rebels, and the cats who hated Hawkstar but were too afraid to stand up against him.

Firepaw was snapped out of his thoughts as a cat's tail suddenly flew up in front of him, and he narrowly avoided walking straight into it. Though the tail itself was harmless, walking through it would be considered an act of disobedience, and he would be killed immediately for it.

The prisoners were forced into a single file line as low, poorly concealed snickers echoed around them. Then, with a single jostle from Rowanclaw at the back of the line, the four cats were pushed into a dark, low-ceilinged den with the thickest bramble walls Firepaw had ever seen in his life.

"Welcome to the prison den," whispered a malicious voice behind the captives. Suddenly, there was a great rumbling from outside, and a huge boulder was pushed in front of the entrance, plunging the den into pure darkness.

All four cats stayed deadly silent for longer than any of them dared to count, too shocked and bewildered to do anything but stare into the black depths of the den before them. Finally, Blackpaw spoke.

"Well, this sucks," he meowed, his voice sounding like an avalanche after the silence that preceded it. There was a quiet rustling sound as somebody sat down on the mossy floor, but nobody else spoke. Blackpaw had said it all.

"Who's there?" a voice suddenly hissed from the back of the den, nearly making Firepaw jump out of his skin. Beside him, one of the prisoners - the ginger tom thought it was Stormfur - stiffened in shock.

"Appletail?" the stocky gray tom meowed in astonishment. Firepaw's jaw dropped in amazement. On the other side of the den, Blackpaw and Nightpaw gasped. They had only heard the she-cat's name mentioned twice before, and the first time, Hawkstar had announced to both Clans that she was dead.

"Stormfur? Is that you?" Appletail whispered hoarsely, all hostility gone from her voice.

"It is," Stormfur meowed, rushing towards the she-cat's voice, the moss rustling loudly under his paws. "I can't believe you're alive! I thought you were dead! Everyone did!"

Firepaw blinked in surprise. This was the first time he had ever heard Stormfur sound truly happy, even though they were trapped in this StarClan-forsaken prison. It revealed a whole new side to the bulky gray tom.

"Everyone thought I was dead," Appletail meowed dryly. "Only Hawkstar and Blackclaw knew the truth, and they tried their hardest to conceal it from everyone."

Her words reminded Firepaw of the story Leafpool had just told him and his siblings, and a lump rose up in his throat.

"But why?" Stormfur meowed. "Why didn't they just kill you?"

"Those two aren't mouse-brained, Stormfur." Appletail's voice was bitter. "They saw how half of HawkClan was more loyal to me than to Hawkstar. By pretending I was dead, they hoped to regain control over all of the Clan."

"That still doesn't explain why they didn't kill you."

"Stormfur, how thick is your skull?" Appletail hissed. "All along, he has been planning to reveal my existence to the Clan. He believes that my supposed death has destroyed the rebels will, and that it will be easy to use me against them. He obviously still doesn't know that I appointed Mosspelt as my successor, or he would have killed me long ago."

Stormfur let out a grieved sigh from somewhere in the blackness. "Mosspelt is dead, Appletail."

The she-cat gasped. "May she rest well in StarClan," she whispered. "Who leads the rebels now?"

"Beechfur."

"I always thought he would be a great leader. The rebels are in good paws."

For all this time, Firepaw, Blackpaw and Nightpaw hadn't said a word or moved a muscle, nor had they been acknowledged by the two conversing cats. But now, Appletail turned her head towards them, and Firepaw could see two golden eyes peering curiously at him in the darkness.

"Who are your friends?" she meowed.

There was another rustle as Stormfur padded back towards them. "Appletail, I would like you to meet, Firepaw, Blackpaw and Nightpaw," he meowed proudly, touching all of them on the shoulder with each introduction. Appletail sucked in a breath at their names, but said nothing.

"Aren't you the cat that founded the rebels? The one that Hawkstar said was dead?" Blackpaw asked from wherever he was sitting in the black prison den. Firepaw thought it was kind of obvious after the conversation that had just passed, but his brother had always been a bit of an airhead.

"That I am," the she-cat replied, a smile evident in her voice. "How do you know?"

"Beechfur was talking about you at the last meeting. He said you were the founder of the group," Blackpaw replied.

Appletail nodded slowly. She was about to say something, when suddenly the rock blocking the entrance rolled out of the way and light flooded into the den. Firepaw closed his eyes and turned away, unused to the brightness.

"Nightpaw, Hawkstar wishes to see you," meowed a deep voice that Firepaw recognized as Oakfur.

Nightpaw stood slowly without a word and began to pad towards the den entrance. At first, Firepaw thought she wasn't saying anything because she was so terrified, but as he looked closer, he realized she wasn't scared at all. In fact, she seemed to be walking towards her impending doom with confidence, her head held high. No matter how oddly his sister had been acting lately, Firepaw admired her for that.

Once Nightpaw left the den, Firepaw saw a patrol of warriors surround her and begin to escort her towards Hawkstar's den. Just like before, she seemed to be walking of her own free will - there didn't seem to be any sign of reluctance or fear in her stride.

When she had nearly reached Hawkstar's den, Oakfur stepped in the way, blocking Firepaw's field of view, and glared icily at all four cats, his eyes narrowed. "Scum."

Before anybody could retort, there was a loud grunt from outside, and the boulder was rolled in front of the entrance once more, bathing the prison den in blackness.

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A week passed in the horrible den with no sign of Nightpaw. Though the captives tried to escape their prison, it was virtually impossible. The bramble walls were much too thick to penetrate, and the boulder was too heavy for the four weakening cats to push.

The first full day in the den was spent worrying about Nightpaw and her fate, lying dejectedly on the den floor, and trying to catch at least a morsel of sleep. The prisoners exchanged few words, but Firepaw was glad for their company anyways. He was baffled by how Appletail had survived for so long here by herself. It must have been terribly lonely. The young tom doubted he could have kept his sanity, with only his thoughts to keep him company.

The next day, the four cats began to worry about Nightpaw even more. Was she dead? If not, where was she? Was Hawkstar going to pick them off one by one? As anxious as they were, the cats still spoke little, though in the periods that followed these short conversations, they were forced to listen to Blackpaw's pining. It almost sounded like the whining of a dog.

On the third day, Firepaw began to notice a pattern to life in the prison den. Every morning, the guards would switch, and the warriors that were awake by that time would roll the rock out of the way to make sure the captives hadn't escaped. After that, the cats were left to their own devices until sunhigh, when the guard would throw in a scrawny mouse for each of them. Though the meal was hardly enough to sate Firepaw's voracious hunger, it was still the highlight of his mind-numbing, monotonous days trapped in the blackness. It was at this time that the prisoners talked the most, when they had a little more energy than usual. At sunset, the guards would switch again for the night, and Firepaw would fall asleep to dream of better days.

By the fourth day, all four of the cats had accepted Nightpaw's fate. They wished her a safe trip to StarClan, and bowed their heads in a short vigil for the black she-cat. Then, after their miniscule meal that sunhigh, the cats began to tell each other stories. Some stories were real, stories about the terrible actions of Bramblestar and Hawkstar as well as stories of a better time, when there were four Clans instead of one. Others were made-up stories, invented to teach a lesson, or to give the cats who heard them hope.

The fifth and sixth days passed similarly to the fourth. However, the seventh day turned to out to be their last, when the thing they feared most came to be.

"…and then Feathertail jumped," Stormfur was saying, a grieved expression crossing his face. "Crowfeather and I screamed at her to stop, but she didn't listen. She grabbed onto the pointy piece of rock that was hanging off of the cave's roof. It cracked away under her weight, falling right onto Sharptooth's head, and Feathertail fell with it. We found her on the ground beside Sharptooth's body, already dead. We were all devastated - especially Crowfeather - but the Tribe assured us they would give her a special burial for killing their most hated memory."

"Feathertail sounds like she was a great cat," Appletail meowed softly, placing her tail on the gray tom's shoulder.

"She was," Stormfur said with a sigh, hanging his head. Before anybody could say anything else, a familiar rumbling sounded from outside the den, and the boulder rolled out of the way.

_It must be sun-high, _Firepaw thought happily. _I'm starving._

But instead of a scrawny mouse being thrown his way, accompanied by an insult of some sort, four cats stepped inside, looking uncomfortable in the blackness. Firepaw recognized their leader as Blackclaw, the TigerClan deputy.

"Stormfur, Blackpaw and Firepaw, Hawkstar wishes to see you," the brawny black tom growled, his amber eyes glowing in the darkness. The patrol surrounded the prisoners and began forcing them out of the den. In their weakened state, the three captives had to comply.

"Bye, Appletail," Firepaw whispered as he passed the she-cat.

"Good luck, Firepaw," she replied quietly, brushing his shoulder with her tail. "I'll miss you."

Firepaw was about to reply when one of the warriors shoved him away. "Get going, scum," the huge tom growled, and Firepaw realized it was Rowanclaw, one of the cats who had originally captured him and his siblings. Suppressing a shiver, he skittered away from the bulky warrior and stepped outside of the prison den for the first time in a week.

The light blinded the young tom's eyes, and he was forced to turn his head and close his eyes. He knew if he had stayed in that horrible dark place for any longer than he had, he wouldn't have been able to stand the sudden brightness of the world around him. He didn't know how Appletail would survive if she was ever revealed to the Clan, having been trapped in the den for more than a moon.

When Firepaw was finally able to open his eyes again, he saw that only Hawkstar's supporters were standing in the open with sneers on their lips. However, he could also see members of the rebel group, slinking in the shadows, and slowly moving towards Hawkstar's den. Hope swelled in Firepaw's heart. Maybe they were going to help the captives, possibly even save them from death.

Hawkstar's den was a hollowed out log on the far side of the camp. When Firepaw stepped inside, his eyes widened in amazement. The space inside the log was much bigger than Bramblestar's old cave above the Highledge, able to fit many cats at a time. Shells, ivy and sparkly pieces of Twoleg trash decorated the walls, and moss was laid out in a line from the door to Hawkstar's nest at the other end.

Two cats sat guarding the den's entrance on the inside - Firepaw recognized them as Pouncetail and Owlwhisker. On Hawkstar's left was Ashfur, watching his kits sadly, but with that same cold gleam Firepaw recognized from his time as Bramblestar's deputy. And in his nest at the very back was Hawkstar himself. He seemed even bigger than usual, his muscles sticking out from under his pelt and rippling with every movement. His dark tabby fur shone, and his ice blue eyes seemed to freeze everything in their sight.

However, none of these caught his attention at all. Instead, he stared in shock at a small she-cat who sat at Hawkstar's right, looking like a flea next to his bulk.

Her pure black coat had been groomed nicely since he had last seen her, and it gleamed just as Hawkstar's did. She even seemed to have a grown a little - her figure was more muscled, more adult. But it was her expression that scared Firepaw the most. It was a look he had only seen in the two most evil cats to ever set foot around the lake. He had never expected to see it on anyone else, especially on a young she-cat.

That she-cat was Nightpaw.


	21. Chapter 19

Chapter 19

**I am extremely happy right now. 5 reviews? You guys are awesome! I know it doesn't seem like much, but I was expecting much less after such a long hiatus - 3 at the most. Anyways, sorry if this update seems a little late. My life has been extremely busy lately. I won't bore you with the details, but I'm warning you that all my updates might be a little late for awhile. **

**WildCroconaw - I guess Appletail's really tough. xD I wouldn't say Stormfur loves her like he loves Brook, but he does love her as a friend, so of course he was extremely happy that she was alive. (:**

**Lightkit - x3 Yes, Tigerstar has finally gone over to the dark side! At least he gets cookies. (:**

**Lightningstreak - Hmmm, I never thought of it like that, but that could work! xD Ahah, any kind of phsycoticness = epic win! Especially with Hawkfrost!**

**Marshpelt - Thanks! :D Yeah, I know a cat couldn't push a boulder alone, so I **_**tried **_**to describe that a lot of cats were pushing it, not just one. I guess it didn't work, though. x)**

Blackpaw stared at Nightpaw in shock, his eyes wide, his mouth gaping open. He couldn't believe it. He knew his sister had changed after the rebel's meeting, but he never thought the black she-cat would deliberately _betray _them like this. The young apprentice could tell by the expressions on Firepaw and Stormfur's faces that they were thinking the same thing.

Blackpaw was snapped out of his thoughts as Hawkstar laughed coldly from where he sat in his nest. His icy blue eyes glittered with malice as he stared down at the three cats before him.

"You never expected your own kin to betray you, did you?" he hissed, his deep voice as smooth as velvet. "You never thought your precious sister would ever join scum like me!"

Hawkstar chuckled again, the sound of it sending shivers down Blackpaw's spine. "Well you were wrong. And now your poor judgement will cost you your life."

Out of the corner of his eye, Blackpaw saw Nightpaw hiss and stand up, her muscles tensing as if she were about to spring. _Oh no, _he thought, shaking his head. _No, no, no. This can't be happening. Nightpaw wouldn't kill us, would she?_

Hawkstar was addressing his own warriors now. "You know why I've brought all of you here," he growled. "It's time for you to prove your loyalty to me."

With a lazy flick of his tail towards the prisoners, the great tabby tom meowed two words that resounded in Blackpaw's head with all the authority of a god. "Kill them."

The two cats that had been guarding the entrance began to stalk forwards, as did Ashfur and Nightpaw. The only one who seemed even slightly reluctant was Ashfur - no matter how evil he truly was, the pale gray tom didn't want to kill his own kits.

Blackpaw's head was spinning. They were surrounded. The black apprentice began to back away from his father and his sister, only to scurry forward again when he remembered the cats behind him.

"Nightpaw. Father," he meowed, putting all of the desperation and fear he was feeling into those two words. "You wouldn't kill your own kin, would you? You aren't that cruel. I _know _you aren't."

Ashfur faltered again at Blackpaw's words, but Nightpaw kept on coming, letting out a frosty laugh as she did so. She sounded almost exactly like Hawkstar had only a few moments before.

"You really think your petty words can stop me, Blackpaw?" she hissed. "You are even more pathetic than I thought."

Blackpaw closed his eyes and turned away. He knew his demise was coming, but he couldn't fight it. He _refused _to fight it. No matter what Nightpaw had become, he wasn't going to kill her, or even attack her.

Suddenly, there was a great commotion from outside, and every cat in the den froze as a loud yowl echoed throughout the camp.

"Stop them!"

Before Blackpaw knew what was happening, a group of rebels burst into Hawkstar's den and fell onto Pounceflight, Owlwhisker, Ashfur and Hawkstar. Yowls filled the hollowed out log, as did the sound of claws meeting claws, and fangs meeting flesh.

"Firepaw, Blackpaw, Nightpaw, Stormfur!" caterwauled a voice from somewhere in the commotion. Blackpaw recognized it as Cloudtail. "Get out of here! Run!"

The apprentices and their warrior companion hastily obeyed his orders and pushed their way out of the den, only to find a similar battle raging outside. Blackpaw's heart pounded furiously in his chest, and blood rushed in his ears. The young black tom was too panicked to realize that Nightpaw had come with them, or that the rebels knew nothing of her betrayal.

Blackpaw tried to push his way through the mass of screeching cats around him with his siblings, trying to get to the stepping stones and escape. He could nearly see the edge of the crowd, and hear the rushing of the river, when he suddenly felt a sharp pain on his flank.

The black tom spun around to see Harepaw growling at him furiously and baring his teeth. Blackpaw had never paid much attention to the former BrambleClan apprentice, and he regretted that now. The wiry brown tabby tom lashed out at Blackpaw's face with unsheathed claws, and he barely managed to dodge it, ducking down low. With his head still down, he rushed forward and crashed into the other tom's chest. Harepaw staggered backwards, losing his balance, and Blackpaw knocked him to the ground with a hard blow to the head, sending the other apprentice into unconsciousness.

The short skirmish over, Blackpaw spun around, trying to find his siblings, only to come face-to-face with Marshwhisker, the same cat he had defeated at the battle of Bramblestar's death.

"You again?" Blackpaw taunted. "Didn't you learn your lesson last time?"

Marshwhisker growled deep in his throat and glared at Blackpaw with hate-filled eyes. "You don't have your little sister to help you this time, apprentice," he spat.

Blackpaw bristled and hissed furiously at the other tom. The two of them stood motionlessly for a moment as the battle raged on around them. Suddenly, Marshwhisker pounced, forcing Blackpaw to leap as well. The warrior and apprentice met in midair, and they tumbled to the ground with their limbs tangled together.

The moment they touched the soil, the two enemies began a fierce wrestling match that sent them rolling through the other fighting cats. Both of them were trying to get on top and gain control, while still inflicting a wound or two.

Finally, after what seemed like hours but was really only a few minutes, Blackpaw managed to roll Marshwhisker underneath him and hold his position. Letting out a yowl of triumph, the apprentice sunk his teeth deep into the other tom's shoulder while raking his claws along the other side.

Caught up in the heat of battle, and having never been taught it was wrong, Blackpaw began to move his fangs toward his opponent's throat, planning to inflict the death blow and end this fight for good. Before his teeth could reach their target, however, the former ShadowClan warrior's claws raked across his soft underbelly, making Blackpaw screech in pain. The black tom instinctively leaped off his opponent, but instead of continuing the fight, Marshwhisker turned tail and raced away.

Grinning victoriously, Blackpaw spun around once more, knowing he had to find Firepaw and Stormfur before it was too late. Instead of spotting either of them, however, he found himself staring straight into the cold blue eyes of Nightpaw.

Blackpaw's sister smirked at her brother, and he heard her claws slide smoothly out of their sheaths. "You can't escape from me this time, Blackpaw," she meowed icily. Blackpaw shivered.

The dark gray she-cat crouched and began to stalk towards her brother, her eyes narrowed, a sneer on her lips. Instead of meeting her challenge, Blackpaw began to back away, his eyes wide with fear. He knew from their training sessions together that he couldn't beat her in a fight, and this certain fight would cost him his life.

Nightpaw was about to spring when Blackpaw heard a deep voice behind him.

"Blackpaw, Nightpaw."

Blackpaw turned around only to see Graystripe standing in front of him, looking completely different than the black tom had ever seen him before. His coat shone, his eyes were bright and confident, and he no longer seemed skinny or gaunt. This was the cat who had once been the best friend of Firestar and the noble deputy of ThunderClan, not the heartbroken heap of fur Blackpaw had known for his entire life. Behind him stood Stormfur and Firepaw, who were staring at Nightpaw fearfully.

"Graystripe?" Blackpaw meowed in shock, his eyes wide. Even Nightpaw had stiffened in amazement. "What happened to you?"

"I'll explain later," Graystripe meowed quickly. "For now, we have to focus on escaping from this dunghole."

"Right," Blackpaw meowed with a nod. With that said, the five cats - Nightpaw included - turned towards the stepping stones and began pushing their way through the crowd once more.

This time, the little group of cats made it. As Blackpaw shouldered his way through the last wall of fighting cats, he let out a sigh of relief. "Let's get out of here," Graystripe meowed.

The gray tabby tom slipped easily into the river and began paddling to the other side. He was followed by Stormfur, who seemed much more graceful and comfortable in the water than his father.

Not wanting to be left behind, Blackpaw leaped onto the first stepping stone, and then the next. Nightpaw was so close behind him that he could feel her breath on his fur. Blackpaw kept himself tensed and ready, in case the dark gray she-cat tried anything, but he managed to cross safely without any incidents.

Stormfur and Graystripe were waiting for the apprentices on the other side, their fur soaking wet. As he reached land, Blackpaw was struck by how much the two toms looked alike - they had the same color of fur, the same build, and even the same eyes.

When all the siblings had reached the bank, Stormfur looked around nervously and meowed, "We'd better run before anybody sees us. I'm amazed they haven't yet."

Before Stormfur could finish his sentence, Blackpaw was charging across the marshy terrain towards the moors, his brother and sister by his side.

"Where are we going?" he called to Graystripe over the wind whistling in his ears.

"The old WindClan camp," the gray tom replied. "That's the last place anybody will look."

Blackpaw nodded and sped up his pace, wanting to get to their destination as fast as possible, before anyone noticed their absence. As the young tom ran, he realized he had never run as fast as he was now. It was exhilarating. It felt as if he were flying.

Despite that, Firepaw soon sped past him, as did the two warriors, and Blackpaw was left with only Nightpaw by his side. He tried to speed up, wanting to get away from the traitor he called his sister, but it was impossible - he was already running as fast as he could, and he was beginning to tire.

"Don't think you can get away from your death so easily, Blackpaw," the gray she-cat hissed maliciously in his ear. "If Hawkstar doesn't find you sooner or later, I'll kill you myself."

With that, the she-cat sped up, leaving Blackpaw to stare after her in shock.

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When Blackpaw finally reached the abandoned WindClan camp, his sides were heaving and his heart was pounding. The rest of the group had reached the camp before him, and they looked up impatiently as he arrived.

"Sorry," he meowed, hanging his head in embarrassment. He felt something brush against his shoulder, and turned to see Firepaw watching him sympathetically.

"It's okay," the ginger tom murmured. "Not all of us are fast runners."

Blackpaw smiled at his brother, and suddenly he realized how hurt he would be if he ever lost the other tom. The black apprentice squared his shoulders and decided that if Nightpaw or Hawkstar ever wanted to hurt Firepaw, they would have to go through him first.

"Right," Graystripe meowed, making Blackpaw and Firepaw turn to look at him. "Now that we're all here-"

"Wait," Blackpaw interrupted. "Before you do anything, you have to tell us why you're so… different."

Graystripe sighed. "I suppose you all have the right to know."

The tom sat down, and a faraway look appeared in his amber eyes. "Before the Great Journey, I was much different than I am now, cheerful, enthusiastic, and respected by all the Clans. But then the Twolegs took me.

"I managed to escape, and eventually found the Clans living by the lake, with Millie's help of course. When I returned to ThunderClan however, I learned that Firestar was dead. That in itself was a huge blow - he had been my best friend, after all - but the knowledge that I still had Stormfur and Millie by my side comforted me. I wasn't completely alone.

"Then, Bramblestar and Hawkstar took over, and Millie and Stormfur were driven out. When that happened, my life was destroyed. Any hope I had left after Firestar's death was gone. My best friend was dead. My kits were dead. Both of my mates were dead. I had nothing left to live for.

"And then, when Stormfur was taken prisoner, I learned that both he and Millie were alive, and that the three prophesized cats had finally come. My hope returned. I joined the rebels, and began to help them plan your escape. You know what happened after that."

Graystripe smiled down at the three apprentices, but Blackpaw could see the sadness in his eyes.

"Graystripe," Stormfur meowed softly. "I am so sorry I caused you all that pain." He paused, and his eyes glittered guiltily. "So try to remember that when I leave you now, I'm not trying to hurt you."

Blackpaw's eyes widened at the tom's words. "You're leaving? Why? We need you!" he cried.

Stormfur sighed. "I must return to Brook, Millie and Leafpool - and my kits," he meowed. "But you must always remember that when Hawkstar's dying day comes, I will return with vengeance in my heart."

"Good bye, Stormfur," Graystripe meowed, and the sadness in his voice pierced Blackpaw's heart like a thorn. "Stay safe."

The two toms, father and son, touched muzzles one last time before Stormfur turned and began to race across the moorland, leaving the entire group staring after him with sullen eyes.

"Well," Graystripe meowed after a long moment of silence. "I'd best start telling you the plan, before it's too late."

Blackpaw searched the gray warrior's face, trying to find any trace of the grief that had been there before, but it had disappeared.

"You're welcome to stay outside as much as you want, or even go hunting if you really want, but one of you must always be on watch. If you see anyone coming, even me or one of the rebels, you must hide in that old badger set." Graystripe flicked his tail towards a large hole in the ground. "I've smeared the edges with fox dung to mask your scent and to keep Hawkstar's supporters from going inside."

Nightpaw wrinkled her nose. "You expect us to stay in a den smelling like _that_?" she spat contemptuously.

Graystripe raised an eyebrow at her. "If you want to live, then yes."

Nightpaw growled angrily at him and spat on the ground, but said no more.

"Anyways," the gray tom continued. "Beechfur will regularly send some of the rebels to tell you what's been happening in the Clan, and bring you food and water if you haven't been able to get out of the camp in awhile."

Graystripe paused and glanced up at the sky, where the sun was already beginning to sink beneath the horizon. "I think that's about it. I'd better get back before Hawkstar notices I'm gone."

"But isn't Hawkstar going to punish all of the rebels?" Blackpaw meowed before Graystripe could leave.

"Hawkstar couldn't possibly punish half of the Clan," he replied confidently. "Besides, knowing that useless lump of fur, he probably couldn't tell who was fighting on his side and who was fighting on ours."

With a quick smile and a flick of his tail, the warrior turned and began to bound towards TigerClan camp.

"I'm going to sleep," Nightpaw spat the moment the gray tom was out of earshot. Without waiting for a reply, the apprentice turned and padded into the nearby badger set. Blackpaw heard her spit again as the horrid smell hit her nostrils before she disappeared into the blackness.

"I don't like having her here," he meowed, staring after the she-cat. "Who knows what she could do to us."

Firepaw sighed. "I don't like it either. But it's better to have her here where we can watch her than back in TigerClan where she can do whatever she wants."

Blackpaw nodded. "I guess that makes sense."

The two brothers were silent for a moment before Blackpaw meowed, "I'll take the watch for tonight. You go get some sleep. Wake me up if Nightpaw tries anything."

Firepaw smiled. "Thanks Blackpaw," he said gratefully, before turning and padding into the smelly badger set himself.

Blackpaw sighed and sat down, his eyes scanning the darkening moorland. For once, the world seemed at peace, but he had no idea what the morning would bring.


	22. Chapter 20

Chapter 20

**So, I suppose this is a pretty late update. I seem to be falling back into my old habits, which was something I was trying very hard to prevent. I'll try to make update faster next time, but there are no guarantees. I have reasons for not updating for so long, you know. Anyways, to compensate for not updating for so long, I made this the longest chapter yet - 3747 words and 10 pages on Microsoft Works. By the way, almost every time I say "Tigerstar" in this chapter, I mean Tigerstar in Nightpaw's body, not Tigerstar himself.**

**Lightningstreak - x) Not exactly. He just decided to actually eat something. Graystripe isn't an anorexic emo anymore! :D**

**Tiggystar - Tigerstar doesn't exactly try to slaughter them in their sleep, but he tries to slaughter somebody in this chapter. O.o**

**Spottedpath - Thanks! I always wondered that, too… that's why I wrote this story! x)**

Nightpaw lay in the mossy nest she had built in the shadow of the Great Rock, staring forlornly up at the lightening sky. She let out a low sigh. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't hold off the homesickness that was creeping into her mind - even though her home was no more.

"Is something wrong, Nightpaw?" mewed a deep voice. Firestar appeared in the she-cat's line of sight, a concerned look on his face. Nightpaw shook her head.

"No, I'm fine," she meowed. "I'm just… a little homesick."

In the living world, Nightpaw would never have admitted her weaknesses as freely as she was now, but Firestar was a StarClan cat. Even if she hadn't told him, the former ThunderClan leader would know exactly what she was feeling.

Firestar nodded sympathetically. "I get homesick sometimes as well, even though it's impossible for me to go back to the lake. My time was up long ago." The ginger tom sighed.

"What was it like to die?" Nightpaw asked boldly, staring up at her grandfather. He raised an eyebrow at her, but spoke anyways.

"It was confusing," he admitted. "I had been so sure Brambleclaw would choose to save me. I didn't even realize he had tightened the fox trap until I was in StarClan, losing every single last one of my lives."

"And after that?" Nightpaw meowed curiously.

"After that, I came here, and Bluestar sent me up to StarClan." Firestar smiled. "I'll admit, it is paradise, but sometimes I miss being around my old Clanmates - and leading them of course."

The tom shook his head. "Enough of such depressing talk. Are you getting any closer to retaking your body?"

"I think so," the gray apprentice replied, her voice lightening considerably. "I've managed to enter Tigerstar's dreams a few times. Thankfully, he can't do anything to me while he's in my body."

Firestar nodded and smiled. "That's good. You'll be able to go back soon enough - hopefully before Tigerstar causes even more trouble."

"Nightpaw! They're waking up!" yowled a voice from the other side of the hollow. It was Squirrelflight.

Nightpaw's blue eyes widened and she raced towards her mother's voice. The ginger she-cat was staring into the starpool, her tail twitching impatiently.

"Did anything happen?" Nightpaw asked.

"A patrol passed by during the night, but they didn't suspect anything," Squirrelflight replied. Nightpaw let out a sigh of relief. She didn't know what she would do if either of her brothers were hurt.

"I assume you want to watch now?" her mother meowed. She nodded.

"Alright, you can take over," Squirrelflight said with a smile. "Firestar and I have to go back to StarClan for awhile anyways."

As she spoke, the path of stars that led into StarClan's true territory formed in front of the ginger she-cat. She and Firestar stepped onto it, their star-covered fur turning silver in the light it gave off.

"Bye!" Nightpaw called, watching the two former ThunderClan cats pad up into the sky until they disappeared altogether. She then turned back to the starpool, where an image of WindClan camp had appeared, the sun just beginning to appear above the horizon.

It had been a quarter moon since Blackpaw and Firepaw had escaped from Hawkstar's clutches. Nobody had found them yet, but Nightpaw knew that even if the evil TigerClan leader gave up his search, Tigerstar, in Nightpaw's body, would ensure that the two brothers were either captured or killed.

Down by the lake, the three cats were just beginning to wake up. They all stood by the entrance of their makeshift den, stretching and yawning in the dawn light. Firepaw and Blackpaw were standing as far away from Tigerstar as possible, and every few minutes they would eye him warily. Nightpaw sighed. She hated that her brothers thought she was a traitor and a menace, but there wasn't much she could do about it. Sighing, the she-cat settled down, ready for another long day of watching her siblings and wishing she could help them.

"I'm amazed Nightpaw hasn't tried anything," Blackpaw was muttering to Firepaw, his eyes narrowing as he watched the cat who he thought was his sister..

Firepaw nodded solemnly. "I'm surprised, too," he replied. "We'll just have to keep watching her closely. We can't let her get away with anything that might give us away."

As they spoke, Tigerstar was snuffling around the den, resembling a dog with his nose to the ground. After a few moments, he looked up and announced loudly to the two toms, "A TigerClan patrol passed by here during the night."

"That means we can go hunting today," Firepaw meowed, raising his voice to include both of his siblings. "Hawkstar probably won't send out any other cats for awhile."

"Don't be so sure about that," Blackpaw mewed. He was staring wide-eyed into the distance. The other two cats followed his gaze, and Nightpaw stiffened in fear with them. A lithe black cat was padding in the direction of WindClan's old camp. By now, it was close enough to easily spot the refugees.

"Get into the den," Firepaw hissed. Blackpaw instantly darted towards the abandoned badger set, but Tigerstar didn't move a muscle.

_Oh no, _Nightpaw thought. _He's going to reveal himself._

Firepaw began pushing Tigerstar, trying to shove him into the den, but it didn't work. Even though Firepaw was a tom, his body was smaller and less muscular than Nightpaw's. Tigerstar could easily overpower the small ginger apprentice.

"Will you stop that, mousebrain?" Tigerstar growled. "It's only Breezepaw."

Nightpaw's heart flip-flopped in her chest at the name, and she peered closer at the image of the black cat. Sure enough, Breezepaw was padding across the moorland, his amber eyes shining with excitement as he spotted the she-cat he thought was Nightpaw. He quickened his pace until he was running, and he reached Tigerstar in a heartbeat.

"Hey, Breezepaw," Tigerstar meowed silkily, twining his tail with the black apprentice's. Nightpaw growled angrily at his actions, unsheathing her claws. She wished she could sink her claws into his mangy pelt, even though he was in her body. She absolutely hated that he was taking advantage of Breezepaw like this.

"My name is Breezepelt now," the black tom meowed, puffing out his chest with pride. "Hawkstar gave Heathertail and I our warrior names last night."

Tigerstar purred, his eyes shining falsely. Nightpaw could see the hidden threat within their depths, and it sent a shiver down her spine. "That's wonderful, Breezepelt," he meowed with a smile.

"Does that mean Hawkstar doesn't know you fought on our side?" Blackpaw asked. He had come back out of the den when he'd realized no one was following him. Breezepelt glared at him irritably. He obviously didn't want anyone interrupting his conversation with Tigerstar.

"No," the black tom growled, as if it were obvious. "He didn't punish anybody."

Blackpaw nodded. "That's good. Was anybody hurt?"

Breezepelt's eyes grew wary. "Everybody was fine. Except for Appletail."

Nightpaw's eyes widened, and her jaw dropped in shock. How could Appletail have been hurt? She was in the prison den the whole time… wasn't she?

Apparently, Firepaw was thinking the same thing. "What happened?" he asked, speaking for the first time since Breezepelt had arrived. "Wasn't she kept in the den?"

"The door was left open after you were taken to Hawkstar's den. When the fighting broke out, she leaped in to join us. When we found out she was alive, we were so happy to have her back." By now, Breezepelt's voice was quivering, surprising Nightpaw even more than the announcement about Appletail. Breezepelt was the kind of cat to never show weakness to anybody, not even her.

"And then," the young warrior continuing. "She was taken away from us once more."

The little group was silent for a moment until Blackpaw spoke. "What do you mean?"

"Hawkstar saw her fighting, and he attacked her. Even though she was still weak from her imprisonment, she managed to escape with only a long cut along her underbelly. She died from it soon after."

All four cats hung their heads in mourning, though it was obvious Tigerstar was still faking. Instead of staring sadly at the ground with hunched shoulders, he flashed a triumphant grin and flexed his claws. To him, Appletail's tragic death was just another step in his mission to conquer the Clans.

"Right, I didn't come here to act like some depressed kit," Breezepelt meowed, breaking the silence. He turned to Tigerstar. "Nightpaw, do you want to come hunting with me? Hawkstar isn't sending out anymore search parties today, and we haven't done anything together in such a long time…"

_No, don't do it!_ Nightpaw yowled in her head. She knew that if Breezepelt was alone with Tigerstar he was going to try something - and she didn't think she could handle it if the tom she had come to love died because of it. The gray she-cat's heart clenched at the mere thought.

"I would love that," Tigerstar purred. A smile lit up Breezepelt's face.

"Great!" he exclaimed. "I thought we could go to ThunderClan's old territory. Nobody ever really goes over there anymore except for the rebels."

Tigerstar nodded. "Sounds good to me," he meowed. The false cheeriness in his voice was so obvious that it made Nightpaw want to gag, but Breezepelt was completely oblivious to it.

"It seems we actually agree on something for once," the warrior meowed, twining his tail with the cat he thought was Nightpaw. The two of them padded out of WindClan camp, leaving Firepaw and Blackpaw to stare after them with worried expressions on their faces.

"I'm going after them," Firepaw mewed after they were out of earshot. Blackpaw turned to him in amazement, and even Nightpaw's jaw dropped in shock. When had Firepaw become the reckless one?

"What are you talking about?" Blackpaw meowed. "You can't go alone! If something happens, Nightpaw will have your pelt!"

"That's not going to stop me," the ginger tom replied, though his voice was shaking. Nightpaw could see his entire body trembling.

"Then I'm going with you," Blackpaw meowed defiantly. Firepaw shook his head.

"No you're not. If there are two of us, we'll be seen. Besides, I need you to stay back and make sure nobody discovers our hiding place."

Blackpaw paused hesitantly before nodding his head. "Fine. But be careful, alright?"

Firepaw smiled and placed his tail on his brother's shoulder. "I'm always careful."

With that said, the young apprentice turned and bounded after Breezepelt and Tigerstar, his nose raised to the air as he followed their scent. Nightpaw watched fearfully, her claws digging into the ground. _Please StarClan, don't let him get hurt._

The mere thought of Tigerstar injuring her brother made Nightpaw want to tear his fur off all over again. _If I ever get my paws on him, _she thought angrily. _He'll be sorry he ever tried to mess with me._

Firepaw traveled quickly across the moorland, his pace as swift as a WindClan warrior. He'd always been the fastest one of the three siblings, and it helped him now. He soon reached the stream that had once been the border between WindClan and ThunderClan. The ginger tom splashed across it as quietly as he could, not wanting to alert the two cats he was tracking , as they were just in front of him by now.

The tom shivered as he stepped out of the water, but it didn't deter him. He set off at a steady pace, ducking and weaving between the familiar ferns and tree trunks. Even though it was the beginning of greenleaf, the leaves were lined with dew, soaking Firepaw's pelt even more as he padded through them.

As Nightpaw watched him pad through the forest, she couldn't help but feel another pang of homesickness. With the exception of her brothers, the gray she-cat missed the leafy canopy most of all. It seemed like so long since she had walked among the sheltering trees. She missed the feeling of the canopy towering high above her head, and warmth of the sun on her pelt as it shone through. The thought of it made her paws tingle with sadness.

The she-cat hadn't even realized she had lost her focus until she heard voices coming from the starpool, and realized Firepaw was crouching at the edge of a clearing, with Breezepelt and Tigerstar talking nearby.

Breezepelt was speaking. "Look, Nightpaw, I didn't bring you out here just so we could hunt," he meowed, his voice confident and even defiant. _This _was the Breezepelt Nightpaw remembered.

"What is it? Is something wrong?" Tigerstar asked in a high-pitched voice, his blue eyes worried. Nightpaw had to admit, he was a pretty good actor.

"No, nothing's wrong," Breezepelt mewed hastily. "It's just… I have something to tell you."

Nightpaw's heart clenched, and she felt a lump rise up in her throat. She knew what Breezepelt was about to say, and he was saying it to the wrong cat.

"Well?" Tigerstar whispered, moving closer to the black tom. His expression was so innocent at that moment that even Nightpaw could believe he was a perfectly normal cat who had happened to fall in love.

"I think I may have fallen in love," Breezepelt mewed. He brushed his tail along Tigerstar's side and looked deep into his eyes. "With you."

At his words, Nightpaw's heart melted. Even though she wasn't the one in her body, she knew the tom was saying those words to her, and to her alone. He didn't know what Tigerstar had done. He didn't know that the former ShadowClan leader had betrayed the rebels, and tried to kill the cats that everyone thought were his siblings.

"I love you, too, Breezepelt," Nightpaw whispered, a single tear falling from her deep blue eyes. She willed Tigerstar to say the same thing, to let Breezepelt believe that he really was Nightpaw. Of course, the dark tabby tom had other plans.

"That's too bad." he meowed.

Breezepelt growled and his fur began to stand on end. "What do you mean?" he snapped. He was obviously trying to maintain his pride, but Nightpaw could see the pain and confusion that twisted his expression.

"Well, you wouldn't want to be thinking that about your murderer, would you?" Tigerstar growled, unsheathing his claws.

"What-?"

Before Breezepelt could finish his sentence, Tigerstar pounced, crashing into the other tom, and making him lose his balance. The dead leader quickly sent the black tom sprawling sideways with a hard blow to the side of the head.

"No!" Nightpaw cried. "Firepaw, do something!"

The ginger apprentice stayed frozen among the ferns, staring at the fighting cats with a horror-struck expression on his face. He obviously wasn't as brave as he had tried to make Blackpaw believe.

A loud screech sounded, and the gray apprentice quickly returned her attention to the opponents. Somehow, Breezepelt had managed to regain his balance before Tigerstar attacked, and he had managed to get his claws into the other tom's shoulder, leaving a long gash in the gray fur. Tigerstar stumbled backwards, and Breezepelt caught him in the chest with a well-aimed kick.

With Tigerstar nearly falling over, Breezepelt spun around and leaped on top of the tom, wrestling him to the ground. The black tom was much bigger than his opponent, and he easily pinned the dark leader.

"What's wrong with you?" Breezepelt spat, glaring down at his enemy. Tigerstar spat in response and kicked at Breezepelt's belly, sending the young warrior flying off of him. As he leaped back to his feet, Nightpaw could have sworn she saw the outline of his true form standing beside him, the hugest and most formidable cat she had ever seen, especially compared to her own small frame.

Tigerstar lunged, grabbing hold of Breezepelt's leg and pulling as hard as he could. There was a loud _snap _as he dislocated it, rendering it useless until a medicine cat could put it back in place. Breezepelt shrieked in pain and attempted to swipe at the tom with his other paw, but instead he stumbled forward, losing his balance once more.

Tigerstar quickly took the chance to overpower his opponent, and he rammed his whole weight into Breezepelt's side. The black-furred warrior instantly crashed to the ground, and he let out another cry of pain as he landed on his injured leg. Tigerstar easily pinned him to the ground, and he stared down at his victim with a sneer on his lips.

"Say hello to StarClan for me," he growled before lowering his head towards Breezepelt's throat.

"No!" Nightpaw shrieked, feeling her heart breaking into a million pieces.

After that moment, time seemed to move in slow motion for the gray she-cat. As Tigerstar's teeth grew ever closer to the throat of her one true love, she began to force her presence into his mind, as she had practiced many times before. She knew that the only way she could save the black warrior was to retake her body, and she had to do it in a matter of a heartbeat.

The she-cat threw her entire being into Tigerstar's mind, wrapping every thought and feeling she had ever had around him and forcing it inside. She felt her enemy falter in his movements, and she threw herself at him even harder. Suddenly, everything went black.

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When the blackness cleared only a moment later, Nightpaw found herself standing over Breezepaw and looking through her own eyes. Her jaw dropped in amazement. She had done it! She was back in her body! The she-cat sucked in a deep breath, elated to be able to taste the familiar scent of the forest on her tongue, and feel the soft grass beneath her feet.

Suddenly, the she-cat felt movement beneath her, and she realized she was still pinning Breezepelt down. Her eyes met his, and she stared at him with more joy than she had ever felt in her life.

"Oh, Breezepelt," she meowed, about to explain what had happened, when an orange flash came flying out of the bushes and knocked her to the ground.

"Run, Breezepelt!" Firepaw's familiar voice yowled. Nightpaw heard the scuffling of paws on the forest floor as the young warrior scrambled to his feet and charged into the forest, running away from the cat that had tried to murder him.

Before she could do anything else, Firepaw was pinning her down, a furious expression on his face.

"I tolerated you before," he spat. "I thought you might change, might turn into the sister that I remember. But this time you've gone too far, and I'm not going to stand by and watch. You're a traitor, Nightpaw, and I'm ashamed to call you my sister!"

Nightpaw stared up at her brother in utter shock. That was the longest, angriest speech she had ever heard Firepaw make in his life. She hadn't even known he was capable of it, but judging by the expression on his face, Tigerstar's actions had finally pushed him over the edge.

"Firepaw, I can explain-" she meowed breathlessly.

"You won't explain anything!" the ginger apprentice growled. "I don't want to hear anymore of your lies."

"But Firepaw," she cried desperately, needing him to understand, and growing irritated that he was ignoring her pleas. "This new Nightpaw that you know - it wasn't me!"

That made Firepaw stop for a moment, his green eyes so like his grandfather's clouding with confusion. "What do you mean?" he meowed, his voice quieter than before.

"I mean," Nightpaw continued, relieved that her brother was listening. "I wasn't the one controlling my body - Tigerstar possessed me."

Firepaw snorted in disbelief. He had always been the rational one. Nightpaw wasn't surprised he didn't believe her. "That's ridiculous," he growled. "How could _Tigerstar _possess you? He's been dead for ages!"

"That's exactly how he managed to possess me!" Nightpaw exclaimed, frustration creeping into her voice. "He'd already managed to influence me in my dreams, so all he had to do was push his presence into my mind and force me out."

Firepaw began to look even more doubtful. But it was his next question that Nightpaw really didn't expect. "What do you mean, he influenced you in your dreams?"

The gray she-cat froze. "Well, um…" she meowed slowly, staring down at her paws. "He… he visited me in my dreams-"

"And you let him?!" Firepaw exploded. Nightpaw's eyes narrowed defiantly, and her gaze snapped back up to her brother. Even though the smaller tom's anger surprised her, the need to defend herself was stronger.

"He promised to teach me how to fight!" she meowed belligerently. "He said he would make me the best warrior in the forest! You _know _I can't turn down an offer like that, Firepaw!"

"I knew your ambition would be your downfall," Firepaw muttered, becoming quiet again. He looked up and stared Nightpaw straight in the eye, his smouldering green gaze demanding attention.

"I might believe you," he meowed. "But you have to show me I can trust you again."

Nightpaw's eyes blinked in surprise, and she licked her brother across the ear. "Thank you, Firepaw!" she meowed. "I swear I'll do everything to earn your trust."

The huge smile that crossed the gray she-cat's face made Firepaw's expression lighten a little. Maybe she could regain the other apprentice's confidence. She just had to work harder than she'd ever worked for anything before.


	23. Chapter 21

Chapter 21

**Well, here's another chapter for your reading pleasure. x) I realize this update was kind of late as well, but once again, my life is so hectic right now that I can hardly keep up. So, if you'll forgive me for that, here are your replies for Chapter 20.**

**Lightkit - Breezepelt ran back to camp, fortunately. I think he would have been even more freaked out if he heard **_**that **_**particular conversation. xD He'd probably be even more sceptical than Firepaw!**

**WildCroconaw - Lol, yeah, I don't really like Honeyfern and Poppyfrost's names either. Especially Honeyfern. But at least they aren't as bad as some names in the series! -cough-**_**Berrynose**_**-cough-**

**biggest fanart - Thanks! Breezepelt knew where the three were hiding because the rebels told him where to go. As for Firepaw… well, he hid the same way Firestar hides. In other words, I have no idea. xD**

**Kinkajou Karata - That's a good idea. I'll take that into mind. (: As for, 'it's' and 'its', I've heard it both ways around. However, I was told to write 'it's' rather than 'its' first, so I think I'll stick with that one. It would be pretty much impossible for me to change my writing style anyways. x)**

**Marshpelt - xD Yes, Nightpaw is definitely awesome! Ahah**

It had been another quarter moon since Nightpaw had returned to normal. The sun shone brightly in the brilliant blue sky, and a warm breeze ruffled Firepaw's ginger fur. He took a deep breath, allowing the fresh scent of the moors to overwhelm him for a moment while still searching for the mouth-watering perfume of nearby prey.

The flow of search parties since the last quarter moon had begun to lessen until there were none at all, and the three siblings were free to hunt whenever they wanted. It gave them a freedom they hadn't had since BrambleClan and HawkClan had merged over a moon ago.

A whiff of rabbit drifted in Firepaw's direction, snapping him out of his thoughts. He whipped around to face the source, and his eyes zeroed in on the little animal snuffling through the grass nearby. He dropped into a crouch and began to creep towards it, trying to be as silent as possible.

Unfortunately for Firepaw, he had never been trained to hunt on the moor - Hawkstar had taken that part of the territory on Firepaw's first day as an apprentice. The rabbit spotted him just as he came in pouncing distance and it raced away, it's little white tail bobbing behind. The ginger tom took off after it.

The wind whistled in Firepaw's ears as he charged across the springy grass, and he marvelled at how much easier it was to run here than in the forest. The young apprentice felt like he could race against anything in the world and win.

As he caught up to his quarry, he pounced, latching his claws into the rabbit's pelt. His prey shrieked in surprise, though the sound was quickly cut off as the tom sunk his teeth into the back of it's neck.

"Nice catch," called a voice. Firepaw turned to see Nightpaw watching him with a field mouse clamped firmly between her jaws. The ginger apprentice nodded stiffly in acknowledgement and quickly buried his catch so he could come back for it later.

When he and Nightpaw had returned from that fateful hunting trip a quarter moon ago, Blackpaw had instantly accepted the gray she-cat's story. Firepaw, on the other hand, was still suspicious of her, even after a full week. Her story went against everything that he had come to believe over the course of his life. As well as that, he didn't think she could suddenly change from bloodthirsty murderer to the sister he had always known just like that..

Firepaw sighed and turned, trying to find more prey. As he did so, he noticed the Twolegs' camp nearby. Their huge green pelts flapped in the wind, and as he watched, a Twoleg walked out of one, a shiny stick held in his hands. Firepaw shivered as he remembered the day, nearly two and a half moons ago, when the Twolegs had attacked BrambleClan camp.

The moment he could recall most clearly was not when they had walked into the camp, or when one had suddenly dropped Blackpaw, sending him to what everyone had thought was certain death. No, what Firepaw remembered most was the deafening bang that had suddenly come from of the Twoleg's silver sticks, and Nightcloud's instant death afterwards. He could hardly imagine the immense power that these strange sticks must hold.

Lost in his thoughts, Firepaw didn't realize that his littermates had come up behind him until Blackpaw spoke.

"Let's get closer," the young tom whispered. "I want to see what the Twolegs will do."

"What?" Nightpaw meowed. Both she and Firepaw stared at their brother in shock. "Don't even think about it! You'll get yourself killed!"

"No I won't," Blackpaw replied confidently, holding his head up high. "I'm much faster than those lumps. They'll never catch me!"

Before Firepaw or Nightpaw could do anything to stop him, the black-pelted apprentice began bounding towards the Twoleg camp, yowling loudly to get their attention. His pace was painfully slow - Blackpaw had always been a terrible runner.

"Blackpaw, no!" Firepaw and Nightpaw yowled in unison. The two of them took off after their brother, planning to drag him back to safety before he could do anything stupid. They had just reached the tom's side when suddenly, there was a great bang, and something crashed into the dirt just next to Firepaw's left forepaw. The orange tabby apprentice screeched in shock and took off in the other direction. He had to get out of here!

"Run!" Nightpaw screeched beside him, turning as well. "I saw an old fox den we can hide in by that rock!"

Firepaw looked up and quickly spotted the boulder his sister was talking about, growing closer and closer with every stride. Suddenly, he heard another bang, and this time the projectile collided with the ground on his right side. The apprentice sped up until he was running faster than he ever had before. He almost felt as if he could take off and soar into the sky. However, his fear for both himself and his littermates kept him on the ground.

In only a few heartbeats, the ginger tom reached the abandoned fox den, and he darted inside to wait for his siblings. Nightpaw followed, her sides heaving and her eyes wide.

"That was terrifying," she meowed. Firepaw nodded in agreement. He could still feel the adrenaline rushing through his veins, and it took all his willpower to keep himself from charging right back out onto the moor to find Blackpaw - and get away from his sister.

The two cats waited for a moment, and still Blackpaw didn't appear. The ginger tom's fur bristled worriedly. "We should go find him," he meowed finally. "What if he's hurt?"

Nightpaw agreed, and they were about to step out of the safety of the den when Blackpaw suddenly stumbled inside. His coat was darkened with sweat, and he was panting heavily.

"Are you okay?" Firepaw asked his brother quietly. Blackpaw nodded.

"I'm fine," he meowed. "I just got a little off track while I was running."

Firepaw smiled in relief and placed his tail on his brother's shoulder. "Thank StarClan you're alive," he meowed, wanting to comfort his petrified littermate. Nightpaw, of course, had other plans.

"Are you mouse-brained?" she growled, cuffing him over the ear. "Do you _want _to die? That was the stupidest, most idiotic thing you have ever done, Blackpaw - and you've done some pretty dumb things!"

Firepaw stuffed his tail in Nightpaw's mouth to silence her. "Stop," he meowed. "I think he gets it."

Blackpaw, who had been cowering away from his sister in terror, instantly straightened, trying to conceal his fright. He shot a grateful smile in Firepaw's direction, but his smile faded quickly as they heard a voice coming from the den entrance.

"Firepaw? Blackpaw? Nightpaw?" meowed the voice. "Are you in there?"

Nightpaw stiffened, and Firepaw quickly moved his tail away from his sister's mouth. The moment he did so, she exploded.

"Don't even think about coming down here!" she yowled. "We'll tear you into pieces!"

"Calm down, Nightpaw!" replied the voice, purring with amusement. "It's only Beechfur and Reedwhisker."

"Oh, thank StarClan!" Blackpaw meowed in relief, relaxing visibly. "Are the Twolegs still out there?"

"No, they went back to their camp," the voice replied, which Firepaw now recognized as Beechfur's. "You can come out now."

The three littermates padded cautiously out of the den, their eyes darting about nervously. Firepaw half expected the Twolegs to jump out of nowhere and hit him with their shiny sticks.

"Good morning," Beechfur meowed with a smile as the cats filed out of their hiding place. Firepaw couldn't help but melt with relief as he heard the tom's voice so close. The leader of the rebels just seemed to give off a feeling of safety and security. It felt as if, under his watch, nothing could go wrong.

"So, what are you doing here?" Nightpaw asked once the refugees had settled down and turned to face the warriors.

"We came to speak with all of you about something very important," Beechfur meowed. "But first, we need to talk to you, Nightpaw."

Nightpaw looked startled. "Me? What for?"

"Breezepelt told us about what you did to him last quarter moon," Reedwhisker meowed, raising an eyebrow at the she-cat, his tail twitching. "Trying to kill another cat is inexcusable, especially if it's done for the wrong reasons. We'd like to know why you did it."

"You aren't going to believe me," Nightpaw meowed, ducking her head. "It sounds ridiculous."

"Try me," Reedwhisker snorted. "I would believe _anything _nowadays."

"Well," Nightpaw meowed slowly, studying her paws as she spoke. "Tigerstar possessed me."

Instead of looking shocked or disbelieving, Beechfur's expression only betrayed mild curiosity. Reedwhisker, on the other hand, looked completely bewildered. Luckily for Nightpaw, he didn't say anything, but instead turned to Beechfur, obviously wondering what his leader would do next.

"I've never heard of that before," the rebel leader meowed, tilting his head slightly. "How did it happen?"

Nightpaw proceeded to tell the light brown tom everything that she had told Firepaw and Blackpaw the week before. She also revealed that Bramblestar had been possessed as well, something that made even Beechfur's eyes widen in amazement.

"Wow," Beechfur meowed once she had finished. He sat down, and Firepaw could tell his mind was spinning. "I'll be sure to keep that in mind for the future."

Nightpaw's eyes widened. "You mean you believe me?"

"Of course I believe you," he meowed. "That explains both Bramblestar's behaviour and yours."

Firepaw shifted uncomfortably, still refusing to believe his sister's story. Reedwhisker turned to Beechfur in amazement, and the doubt in his eyes was obvious. The only cat who seemed unaffected by the rebel leader's words was Blackpaw, who had believed Nightpaw from the start.

"So what did you really come to talk to us about?" the black apprentice asked, sitting down and curling his tail around his paws. Firepaw did the same and gazed at Beechfur curiously.

Reedwhisker had quickly regained his composure after his previous shock, and he answered for the other tom. "To be blunt," he meowed. "The final battle against Hawkstar will be taking place soon. Tomorrow, actually."

All three apprentices' eyes widened, and they stared at the warriors in astonishment. "Tomorrow?" Nightpaw asked. "Why weren't we warned about this earlier?"

"We couldn't," Beechfur answered regretfully. "Hawkstar wasn't allowing any of the rebels out of camp, unless they were accompanied by one of the elite warriors. I think he's beginning to figure out who supports him and who's against him. That's why we need to attack as soon as possible, before one of us ends up like Appletail."

Firepaw shivered with both fear and grief as he remembered the horrible prison den and the friendly she-cat he had found inside. _I hope StarClan has accepted her as one of their own, _he thought, glancing briefly up at the sky.

"This battle will likely be the final stand against our oppressors," Reedwhisker meowed. "If we don't kill Hawkstar tomorrow, we will never be released from his clutches. That's why we're asking you, as the prophesized cats, to kill him yourselves."

"That's a bit much to ask, don't you think?" Nightpaw growled, raising an eyebrow. Firepaw and Blackpaw both nodded in agreement.

"Look," Beechfur meowed. "We know this will be hard for you, especially since you'll have to come up with a plan by tomorrow, but I'm asking you to try for the good of the Clans. _You _were the cats chosen by StarClan to do this, and only _you _can end this reign of terror. Hawkstar has ruled over the Clans for far too long, and it's time you stepped up and did something about it. We, the rebels, refuse to let this go on for any longer. We are brave enough to fight this tyrant and his followers." He stared each of them in the eye. "But are you?"

Firepaw felt his heart stirring as Beechfur spoke, and he had to resist the urge to yowl in agreement with the tom's words. He could see why this young warrior had been chosen as the leader of the rebels. Nightpaw, on the other hand, growled loudly, and her fur began to rise.

"Of course we're brave enough!" she spat, glaring at the warrior. "What do you think we are - a bunch of pampered kittypets?"

"You might as well be, if you won't even try to fulfill your destiny," Beechfur meowed, staring down at her with raised eyebrows. It was obvious he was trying to rile her up so she would agree to fight. _This cat is a genius, _Firepaw thought in admiration.

"I never said I wouldn't try!" Nightpaw yowled. "I'll be there tomorrow to fight! And so will Firepaw and Blackpaw! Right?"

The brothers nodded their agreement.

"Good," Beechfur meowed, a smile spreading slowly across his face. "We'll see you three tomorrow at sunhigh. Try to keep yourselves alive until then."

With that said, the two warriors turned and began to lope towards TigerClan camp, their tails waving in the air. The littermates stared after them for a few moments before Blackpaw spoke.

"We should probably get back to camp, before any _real _patrols find us out here," he meowed, glancing around nervously. Firepaw nodded in agreement, and he ran off to dig up his rabbit before they headed back. The three cats regrouped by the old fox den, and they began to pad towards WindClan's abandoned camp, their thoughts focused on everything that had happened that day. It seemed like ages since Firepaw had caught the rabbit that was dangling from his mouth at that very moment.

"How are we supposed to come up with a plan to kill Hawkstar by tomorrow?" Blackpaw asked, glancing at his littermates. Firepaw shrugged absently, though his mind was whirling.

Unexpectedly, his thoughts went to the earlier events of the day, when he and his siblings had nearly been shot down by the Twolegs. Those shiny sticks had to hold power if they could make him and the others so afraid. Once again, he remembered when Nightcloud had been killed so easily, left with only a bleeding hole in her side. And then it hit him.

"Blackpaw, Nightpaw," he meowed, turning to them with wide, excited eyes. "I have an idea."

**Mwahahaha! My first cliffie (sort of) since the hiatus! If you can guess what Firepaw's idea is, you get a virtual cookie. :) By the way, the entire time I was writing the second half of the chapter, an albino moth was sitting on the edge of the computer desk, and still is, for that matter. It's pretty gross. Just thought I'd mention that. x)**


	24. Chapter 22

Chapter 22

**Here's the chapter you've all been waiting for! The final battle between the rebels and Hawkstar! Obviously, this story is nearly over, and if everything goes according to plan, there will only be 2 more chapters after this one. So, because of that, I have a question for you guys - what do you think Firepaw's warrior name should be? I'm debating between Fireclaw and Fireshadow, but you guys can come up with names, too! As well as that, sorry about the delay, but I actually have a really good excuse this time! xD Basically, I had to get ready for grad on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. Then I had to go to grad on Thursday. Then I had to cry my eyes out and be all depressed on the last day of school, then go with a bunch of friends to the movies so we could get even more depressed on Friday. Then I had to go to LIT training for half the day on Saturday. And finally, I had to go to a horse show on Sunday. As for all the other days, I was just too lazy to write. Wow this is a really long author's note, isn't it?**

**Dovekit - w00t for Hawkstar's death! x) I hate his guts, too.**

**Lightkit - Ahah, you were close enough! -throws cookie- And yes, Hawkstar's going to die! Finally! :D**

**Kinkajou Karata - EW, you touched it? x) You're braver than I am. I'm **_**terrified **_**of bugs! They're so creepy and crawly, and it just grosses me out! And while I'm on the topic of moths, the albino one came back. Now it's sitting on the white Wii remote, so you can hardly see it.**

**JayFeatherXCinderHeart - Ahah, in **_**my **_**story he would! x) You have to read further on to figure out why he did that.**

**Lightningstreak - They're going to receive their warrior names at the very end of the last chapter. So go vote for Firepaw's warrior name! xD**

**Aximilli2 - One of your guesses is right, but I'm not telling you which! x) Read on to find out which one! -throws cookie-**

**Marshpelt - Blackpaw isn't very smart at times. x) I think I've mentioned that a few times throughout the story. Let's just say he's a bit of an airhead.**

The next day, dark gray clouds covered the sky, and the air was heavy with the scent of rain. The sun couldn't be seen through the heavy cloud cover, though Blackpaw was guessing it was nearly at it's highest point in the sky.

"It's time," he meowed solemnly, turning to look at his siblings. All three of them were tense with anticipation, and the black apprentice felt a thrill of fear race up his spine. Their entire future relied on this battle. If they failed, Hawkstar would destroy the rebels, and the Clan would have no choice but to obey his every order. This dark time would continue for countless seasons, until no one remembered the time of peace when there were four Clans instead of one. To Blackpaw, the thought was absolutely terrifying.

Both Firepaw and Nightpaw nodded tensely and Blackpaw could tell from the expressions on their faces that they were thinking the same thing.

"I hope it doesn't rain," Nightpaw mewed, glancing up at the sky apprehensively. "The marshes are already slippery enough without even more water pouring down on them."

"At least Hawkstar will be slowed down if it rains," Firepaw meowed, turning his gaze towards the threatening heavens as well. The siblings shivered as a cold gust of wind blew up from the lake, and Blackpaw marvelled at how different the weather was from the day before. Did StarClan not approve of the upcoming battle?

Shaking his head, the young tom sighed, and placed his tail on his brother's shoulder. "We should get going now," he meowed. "Are you sure you can do this? You won't be too long, right?"

Firepaw nodded shakily, not even trying to conceal his fear. "I'm the only one who _can_ do this," he meowed, trying to sound confident and failing miserably. Blackpaw smiled at the ginger tom comfortingly and turned to Nightpaw.

"Let's go," he meowed. The gray she-cat nodded in agreement, and with one last glance at their terrified brother, they turned and began to lope steadily across the moorland. Firepaw watched them for a minute before he turned himself and began to run in the opposite direction.

As Blackpaw and Nightpaw jogged across WindClan's former territory, the smell of rain began to grow ever more potent until it blocked out every other scent. Suddenly, there was a loud crash of thunder that shook Blackpaw to the core, and the heavens opened. Driving rain began to crash down on the apprentices' pelts, and within a few heartbeats they were completely soaked.

"This weather is horrible!" Nightpaw yowled as lightning streaked across the sky, her dark blue eyes narrowed as she tried to see through the wall of precipitation.

"It must be even worse for Firepaw!" Blackpaw replied, feeling sorry for his brother, who was on even higher ground than them at the moment. His sister nodded tersely in agreement and turned away, her expression becoming guarded. She was obviously feeling bitter towards Firepaw's constant mistrust. Blackpaw didn't see why the orange tabby apprentice was so suspicious of Nightpaw. Her story seemed perfectly believable to him.

As the siblings reached RiverClan's old territory, the ground became so boggy that it took all their strength to lift their paws out of the mud. The rain had softened the terrain so much that it was now more water than anything else.

The TigerClan camp still wasn't in sight when Blackpaw began to hear the yowling. Even though the rain was pounding loudly around him, the sound echoed clearly in his ears. The battle had already begun.

The two apprentices increased their pace, and the camp soon came into view. They could barely see the fighting cats through the trees that guarded the island, though it was obvious the ear-splitting screeching was coming from the small triangle of land that was TigerClan's headquarters. Nightpaw and Blackpaw raced down the slope towards the camp, hardly noticing the mud sucking at their paws or the rain pounding on their heads.

Surprisingly enough, Blackpaw reached the stepping stones first, and he leaped across until he was balancing on the very last one. From here, he could see everything.

The black tom quickly surveyed the camp, searching for his target. Nearby, Brackenfur was grappling against Smokefoot, his golden tabby pelt matted with blood. Beside them, Cinderheart and Poppyleaf had teamed up against Rowanclaw, and the huge ginger tom looked disconcerted by the speed with which the she-cats were attacking him. To the left, Sandstorm was locked in a fight with Russetfur, while to the right, Stormfur, Leafpool and Millie, who had obviously returned from wherever they had been hiding, were fighting against Oakfur, Weaselfur and Owlwhisker. Even Breezepelt was struggling against Ashfur, fighting with all his strength despite his recently dislocated leg.

Blackpaw's intent amber eyes found many more fighting cats - Owlpaw and Harepaw, Sorreltail and Spiderleg, Honeyfur and Pounceflight, Graystripe and Voletooth - but no matter how much he searched, he couldn't find TigerClan's dark leader.

Finally, his gaze landed on Hawkstar's den at the other end of the camp, and he spotted the tabby tom standing outside and watching the battle with furious blue eyes. Blackpaw nudged Nightpaw, who had landed on the rock beside him, and gestured with his tail towards the evil tom. "Over there."

The gray she-cat nodded resolutely, and the two of them leaped off the stepping stone and into the island. They immediately charged into the crowd of battling warriors, darting in between fighting cats as quickly as they could and always keeping each other in sight. As they did so, Blackpaw couldn't help but remember the last battle, when Nightpaw had tried to kill him - but this time, she was on his side, not the other way around.

As he ran, Blackpaw suddenly felt a huge weight crash into his side, and he was sent flying sideways, nearly colliding with Birchfall. Shaking his head, the black apprentice scrambled to his paws and realized with dread that it had been Blackclaw, Hawkstar's sinister deputy, who had attacked him.

Before Blackclaw could pounce again, there was a loud yowl, and Nightpaw suddenly leaped onto the warrior's back. She dug her unsheathed claws into his pelt and began tearing at him wherever possible, even ripping his ear between her teeth. Blackpaw quickly joined the fight, aiming a vicious back kick at the tom's chest. Blackclaw staggered backwards in shock, though instead of giving up, he lowered himself onto the ground and rolled, crushing Nightpaw under his weight.

Blackpaw winced, expected Nightpaw to be completely destroyed under the huge deputy's mass. As he watched helplessly, Blackclaw suddenly howled in pain and began racing away from the two apprentices, exposing a long wound along his back. Blackpaw's eyes widened in surprise, and he turned to look at Nightpaw in amazement. The young she-cat slowly staggered to her feet and gave her brother a breathless grin.

"Are you still fit to run?" he asked her, looking her over apprehensively. Her fur was covered in mud from being crushed into the wet ground, and her breath came in ragged gasps.

"I'm fine," she meowed stubbornly, squaring her shoulders and glaring at Blackpaw, daring him to disagree. Knowing it was impossible to change her mind, the young apprentice shrugged. "Have it your way."

The two apprentices turned and began scanning the battlefield for their original target. They quickly found him locked in a vicious scuffle with Beechfur, his icy blue eyes flashing maliciously as he tore at the rebel leader's pelt with thorn-sharp claws. Blackpaw growled angrily and he began racing through the crowd once more with Nightpaw on his heels.

"Hey, Hawkstar!" he yowled once he was close enough for the dark tom to hear. "Guess who's back?"

Hawkstar's head shot up in surprise, allowing Beechfur to rake his claws triumphantly down the side of the TigerClan leader's face before racing off to join the rest of the battle.

Hawkstar growled and started padding towards the littermates, the blood already washing out of his fur in the rain. Blackpaw grinned at him mischievously, and he and Nightpaw began racing back into the crowd. "I bet you can't catch us!" he yowled over his shoulder.

Blackpaw heard the tabby leader hiss furiously before charging after the apprentices. A victorious smile spread across the young tom's face. Their plan was working!

Blackpaw and Nightpaw weaved through the crowd of warriors even faster than before, knowing that this time they were racing for their lives. Despite this, adrenaline was beginning to spread through the black apprentice like wildfire. He had never run this fast before. For once, he was keeping pace with his sister and managing to outrun someone else. It was the greatest - and most terrifying - feeling he had ever had in his life.

The two siblings burst out of the crowd without any incidents, and they began to leap across the now slippery stepping stones as fast as they could. Blackpaw could hear both of their claws scraping against the gray rock as they struggled to keep their balance, but they managed to reach the other end before Hawkstar could catch up.

Once they reached land, Blackpaw began to run even faster than he had in TigerClan camp. Rain blurred his vision, and thunder crashed in his ears, but he barely noticed. He was running, faster than Nightpaw, faster than Hawkstar, faster than the wind itself. The young tom yowled in exhilaration, throwing his head towards the angry sky.

Suddenly, Nightpaw passed him, her dark blue eyes frantic. "Run faster, Blackpaw!" she cried over the howling wind. "He's catching up!"

_Oh no, _Blackpaw thought. He risked a glance backward, only to see that Hawkstar was indeed speeding up, his eyes narrowed into slits, his expression twisted with fury. Blackpaw also realized at that moment that he hadn't been running as fast as he'd thought at all - Nightpaw had merely been keeping pace with him, so he wouldn't be left alone.

Terror replacing exhilaration, the black apprentice lowered his head and tried to run faster, but it was impossible. He was already moving as fast his legs would allow him. Soon enough, Hawkstar's heavy breathing came into his hearing range, as did the pounding of his paws on the marshy ground.

"You'll regret the day you ever crossed me, Blackpaw," Hawkstar hissed, and the black apprentice could imagine the expression on his face. The thought took his attention away from the terrain in front of him, and he suddenly stumbled on a rock lodged in wet ground.

He let out a wordless yowl as he tumbled to the ground, his paws flying out from underneath him. That yowl was suddenly cut off as his face crashed into the mud, filling his mouth with the disgusting sludge.

Blackpaw managed to drag himself weakly to his feet, spitting out the mire as he did so. He was just getting ready to run again, when Hawkstar's huge weight suddenly hurtled into him, and he was knocked over once more. This time, the massive leader pinned him to the ground, blocking any escape. There was almost no chance the black apprentice would survive.

"Why don't we make this slow and painful?" Hawkstar hissed maliciously in Blackpaw's ear. "Just to show your pathetic little siblings what will happen when I catch them as well."

Blackpaw couldn't reply. Hawkstar's weight was so crushing that he could barely even breath, let alone talk. Suddenly, he felt the dark leader's tom pierce his pelt and begin to tear the skin in a line all the way from his shoulder blades to his hindquarters.

The young tom winced in pain and began to struggle. He _had _to escape. He had to get away from this horrible, lingering torture. Already the pain was beginning to overwhelm his senses, and he knew there was a lot more to come.

Almost as easily as if he were a fly, Hawkstar crushed Blackpaw's face into the ground, ending his struggles with a single movement. "Now, now," he growled. "We don't want any of that, do we?"

With that, the massive tabby tom ran his claw down Blackpaw's other side, and pain ripped through the apprentice like wildfire. This time, however, he was forced to keep still with his head still mashed into the ground.

Hawkstar continued to run his thorn-sharp claws along Blackpaw's body, allowing the pain to continue for as long as possible. The apprentice's black fur was stained with blood, and he could smell nothing but it's rusty scent, feel nothing but the pain and the crimson liquid that covered his pelt, see nothing but the redness in his eyes.

Soon enough, the pain completely overwhelmed him, and he began to pass in and out of consciousness. He was sure now that he was going to die, and yet the torture continued. _StarClan!_ he pleaded in his head. _Take me! Let me join you! _

StarClan did not answer. Letting out a weak, defeated sigh, Blackpaw closed his eyes and waited for death to creep up on him, and end this horrible torment.

Suddenly, Hawkstar let out a startled yowl above him, and the huge tabby's weight disappeared. Blackpaw tried to open his eyes, but the red film in them clouded his vision and he was unable to see.

"Help," he whispered, using up all his energy to say this simple word. As he spoke, he felt strong jaws latch into his hind leg and start dragging him across the marsh. Too weak to protest, the young tom lay limp and allowed himself to be dragged away.

Eventually, Blackpaw felt branches begin to snag at his fur, but he was still unable to see what was happening to him. Moments later, the stranger dropped his leg, and began moving around. For a heartbeat, everything was silent, then a bundle of cobwebs was pressed against one of Blackpaw's wounds.

"What-?" he began, attempting to open his eyes once more in surprise.

"Shhhh," whispered a very familiar voice. "It's Leafpool. Don't waste all your energy talking. You'll need it if you ever hope to heal."

"Leafpool?" Blackpaw meowed, his voice rising with shock. He opened his eyes once more, and this time he realized his vision was starting to return.

"I saw Hawkstar chasing you and Nightpaw out of camp, so I decided to follow in case you needed some help," the tabby she-cat meowed. "I guess I was right about that. Here, eat these."

The strong scent of herbs appeared nearby, and Blackpaw quickly lapped up the leaves with his tongue. The vile taste of ragwort and poppy seeds enveloped his mouth, and he could barely resist the urge to spit the disgusting herbs out. Instead he began to chew them, wincing with every bite until they were crushed up enough to swallow.

The medicine took affect immediately. Instantly, the apprentice felt the pain lessen and the strength begin to return to his limbs.

"Thanks, Leafpool," he meowed, his voice slightly stronger than before. She smiled warmly down at him.

"Your welcome," she purred through the marigold she was chewing to a pulp in her mouth.

Blackpaw laid his head between his paws, and a sudden thought struck him - a thought that he was ashamed to admit he had forgotten completely about.

"What happened to Firepaw and Nightpaw?" he asked, his muscles tensing with worry. He didn't think he could handle if they had died while he couldn't do anything about it.

"Relax," Leafpool meowed, pressing marigold pulp onto one of his wounds. "They should be joining us momentarily. I'm surprised Nightpaw isn't here already."

A heartbeat after she spoke, Nightpaw burst into the bush they were hiding in, her eyes wide and her sides heaving. She barely had enough time to take in her surroundings before there was a deafening bang from outside, and Firepaw raced in as well. He was panting heavily, but his expression was lit up with triumph.

"Hawkstar is dead!"


	25. Chapter 23

Chapter 23

**To all of you living in Canada, happy belated Canada Day! :D (And Independence Day, for those of you in the States) I'm completely amazed I managed to get this chapter up as soon as I did. Yes, I know it wasn't very early, but I had major writer's block after I wrote the last chapter. I know for sure now that there is only going to be one more chapter after this - but don't worry! There will be a sequel, although I might take a short break before I start writing it. Oh, and just a note about this chapter before you read: I had almost completely finished the second half of this chapter when Word decided to shut off. So, everything past the break might be a bit sucky. I hope you can forgive me for that.**

**WildCroconaw - Yes, it was a very good thing! I don't think anyone would be very happy with me if Blackpaw died. xD And yes, Hawkstar really did die. Nightpaw will learn why he didn't just lose a life in the next chapter.**

**WarriorsAddicted - Those are some good names. (: I've already got Nightpaw's and Blackpaw's names picked out, but I might consider one of yours for Firepaw.**

**Aximilli2 - Yup, it was your second guess! x) You'll get to see Hawkstar's death in more detail this chapter, because it starts in Firepaw's POV a bit before the end of the last chapter.**

**Lightkit - Yes, Hawkstar is dead! w00t! xD Yeah, I've got Blackpaw's and Nightpaw's names picked out. As for the ending 'storm', I'm already using it for one of the other two - but I'm not telling you which one! Mwahahaha!**

**bloomforever - w00t! Hawkstar is dead! Gone forever! xD I'm happy too, even though I was planning it all along. Ahah.**

**Kinkajou Karata - I hate Hawkstar too! Especially in the books. I wanted to rip his furry little head off. xDD Ahah, I would've been afraid it would blow up too! That's why I never touch any bug that flies. And yes, I did know that you're Leafdapple. I was amazed I actually figured that out. I'm a bit slow. x)**

**Dovekit - Hmmm, Fireburst, interesting. xD And thanks! I'm glad you do!**

**Marshpelt - x) No, Nightpaw didn't get possessed again. I'm not going to be **_**that **_**mean to her! As for the person who killed Hawkstar, it was a Twoleg hunter with his gun. That's why Blackpaw heard a bang.**

**Tiggystar - Yeah, I noticed all the baddies were ShadowClan cats, too. That's mainly because most of the cats in the other Clans don't seem to have "evil" personalities. I tried to balance it out by making undeveloped characters in the other Clans evil, but I guess I failed. xD As for the ending being sudden, that was what I was going for. I was trying to show how Hawkstar could be killed in a split-second. Don't worry though - you get to see much more of Hawky's death in this chapter. As for the nice comment, yay for cheesecake! x) Thank gawd Hawkstar is dead! He annoyed me so much, even though this is my own story. I've already got names for Blackpaw and Nightpaw, but I'll consider your Firepaw names - especially Fireblaze. Actually, I think I might use that one! :D Wow, this is a really long reply isn't it?**

**Honeyfern - I can't tell you, or that would spoil it. You'll just have to read this chapter to find out. ;)**

Firepaw raced frantically across the soaking moorland, struggling to keep his grip on the slippery ground. Thunder crashed ominously over his head, and lightning lit up the sky. The young tom wanted nothing more than to stop and find shelter from the storm, but he knew that if he even thought about slowing down, his life would be over. The heavy pounding of the Twoleg's boots behind him was a reminder of that.

After the orange tabby apprentice had left his brother and sister, he had charged across WindClan's old territory as fast as he could until he reached the Twoleg camp. The plan was to lure both a Twoleg and Hawkstar to the same place, so the human could take out the dark leader out with one of it's shiny sticks. Firepaw could only hope the sticks had enough power to eliminate all nine lives at once.

Firepaw had gotten the mouse-brained Twoleg to chase him easily enough, and he had pointed himself back in the direction of TigerClan camp. It had almost been too easy - until he had realized how much stamina the Twoleg hunter possessed. While Firepaw had begun to slow with exhaustion, the human kept up the same steady pace. Soon enough, it would catch up, and the ginger tom would be done for.

Suddenly there was a loud bang, and one of the shiny rocks lodged itself in the mud in beside him. Firepaw was snapped out of his thoughts and forced to run even faster than before, despite his growing fatigue.

_I hope the others are close, _he thought, straining to see his siblings through the pounding rain. _I can't keep this up for much longer._

The young tom rounded a corner, only to see Blackpaw pinned down by a large brown blob that could only be Hawkstar, while Nightpaw raced to help him. They were far away, and Firepaw didn't know if he could keep up his pace for that long - but he had to try.

Taking a deep breath, the tom sped up until he knew he could go no faster without collapsing in the mud. His sides heaved with the effort, and his breath came in ragged gasps, but he ran on anyways. He had to save not only Blackpaw, but the future of the Clans as well.

As the ginger tom drew ever closer to his siblings and their mortal enemy, Nightpaw came up on Hawkstar's side and knocked him away from Blackpaw. At the same time, Leafpool appeared out of nowhere to drag the black apprentice away from the fight and into the bushes.

"Nightpaw!" Firepaw yowled as loudly as he could, hoping his sister could hear him over the pounding rain. "Get out of the way!"

Nightpaw's head snapped up at the sound of his voice, and her entire body melted with relief at the sight of her brother. She quickly jumped off of her enemy and scrambled towards the bushes, leaving a confused Hawkstar sprawled in the mud. Firepaw darted out of the way at the same time, glad to be rid of his pursuer, who was now racing towards the dark leader with it's shiny stick held up to it's eye.

"Let's get into shelter before the Twoleg comes after us as well," Nightpaw meowed, touching Firepaw on the shoulder with her tail.

"You go," Firepaw replied. "I want to see this."

Nightpaw gazed at him worriedly for a moment before turning and racing towards the bush where Leafpool and Blackpaw had disappeared.

Firepaw's eyes swerved away from his sister and locked on the scene in front of him. Hawkstar had managed to get to his paws and he was slowly backing away from the advancing Twoleg, his expression twisted with fear.

The Twoleg pointed it's stick straight at the dark leader. There was a deafening bang, and a shiny rock flew out of the stick's mouth and lodged itself in Hawkstar's chest. The huge tabby tom instantly crashed to the ground, his icy blue eyes that had been so filled with terror becoming dull and lifeless in less than a heartbeat.

Firepaw stayed frozen to the ground, and he stared at the motionless leader before him. But no matter how long he stared, Hawkstar didn't move. He hadn't just lost a life - he was _dead._

The orange tabby apprentice's expression lit up with triumph, and he pelted towards the bush where the others were waiting. The moment he had realized that Hawkstar was completely dead, never to terrorize the Clans of the lake again, such a huge weight had lifted off his shoulders that he felt as if he could fly.

The tom burst into the hollowed out bush, his elated grin growing even wider as he joined his siblings. Taking a deep breath, he gathered up all his energy and announced, "Hawkstar is dead!"

Blackpaw and Nightpaw stared at him shock for a moment until joy began to light up their expressions. Leafpool, however, stayed wary, her muscles tense.

"Are you sure he didn't just lose a life?" the tabby medicine cat asked, her amber eyes flashing with doubt.

"I'm sure," he meowed reassuringly. "He hasn't moved at all since the Twoleg shot him."

"I want to see!" Blackpaw proclaimed, and he tried to stand up, but instantly fell back down again with a wince. The pain of his injuries was obviously too much for him.

"You aren't moving a muscle until I say you can," Leafpool meowed sternly, placing a tail on his shoulder. Blackpaw didn't protest, having just discovered what would happen if he tried to get up.

"Is the Twoleg gone yet?" Nightpaw asked Firepaw, obviously itching to get outside as well and see Hawkstar's body for herself. Firepaw shrugged in reply.

"Let's go check, then," she meowed. With that, the two siblings, followed by Leafpool, peered cautiously out of their temporary shelter. Fortunately, the only thing in sight was Hawkstar's body, a brown pile of fur lying lifelessly in the mud.

The three cats cautiously padded towards the corpse, their eyes flickering from side to side in case the Twoleg came back. Eventually they reached the body, and the three stared down at it with wide eyes. Hawkstar's fur was covered in mud, and blood poured out of the wound in his chest. Firepaw had to admit that in death, the dark leader looked almost vulnerable - the fear that had been frozen in his blue eyes only emphasized this.

As the two apprentices and their former medicine cat stared down at the body, the rain suddenly stopped and the clouds cracked open. A single ray of sunlight shone onto the lake, illuminating it's surface with radiance.

"It's a sign from StarClan," Leafpool whispered, staring at the lake in shock. "The storm is over. The tiger is finally dead."

The immensity of what Leafpool was saying hit Firepaw like a rock. The prophecy had been fulfilled. The tiger had risen and fallen once more. Fire in the blackest of nights had prevailed.

"Nightpaw," the medicine cat meowed suddenly, turning to the gray she-cat. "Go back to the camp and bring everyone here. Tell them about Hawkstar's death. This fighting must end."

For once the apprentice obeyed orders without protest and darted off in the direction of TigerClan camp, her paws flinging up mud as she ran.

"What do we do now?" Firepaw asked, his eyes still fixed on the body that lay in front of him.

"Now," Leafpool meowed. "We wait."

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A while later, the sound of voices alerted Firepaw, and his head snapped up in time to see a huge crowd of cats make their way over a rise with Nightpaw in the lead. It seemed as if everyone had come to witness Hawkstar's body for themselves - the oldest elders hobbled alongside the youngest kits, and even Brook, Swiftkit and Thrushkit had appeared from wherever they had been hiding during the battle. Every cat was covered in injuries, and they all looked exhausted.

Firepaw watched them tensely as they approached. He was afraid of everyone's reactions. He knew the rebels would be happy, but Hawkstar's supporters might start another battle. If that were to happen, very few would survive.

Nightpaw joined her brother as the crowd approached, followed by the first few cats in the group. They stared down at Hawkstar's body in amazement.

"Hawkstar is dead!" Cloudtail yowled, his voice loud enough for every cat to hear. The crowd began to rush forward as fast as they could, wanting to see the body for themselves. Once they had all gathered around the bloody pile of fur, every one of them fell completely silent. It sounded almost as if they were all holding their breath. Firepaw wouldn't be surprised if they were. Suddenly, the quiet was broken by a loud voice that the ginger tom recognized as Reedwhisker's.

"We're finally free!"

At his words, a cacophony of noise filled the lakeside as the rebels yowled in victory, their tails waving in the air. Firepaw wasn't watching them, though. Instead his eyes were locked on Hawkstar's supporters, observing their reactions. Almost every single one of them was staring at Hawkstar's body with confusion in their eyes, as if they had been broken from a trance. In fact, only four cats, standing on the edge of the crowd, looked angry about the tyrant's death - Blackclaw, Ashfur, Rowanclaw and Owlwhisker.

"This is preposterous!" Blackclaw yowled, his voice carrying over the rebels cries of success. Every cat fell silent once more and turned to look TigerClan's deputy, who was glaring at them with narrowed eyes.

"What do you mean, Blackclaw?" Beechfur meowed, padding out of the crowd and facing the fuming tom.

"Why are you all so happy about Hawkstar's death?" Blackclaw growled. "All he wanted was to bring us together in peace. We're already going through a hard time without fighting each other!"

Firepaw could tell the tom was lying - he knew just as well as everyone that the only thing Hawkstar wanted was power.

"That's not what it seemed like to the rest of us," Beechfur replied, his voice surprisingly calm. He had probably expected this to happen.

"Then you're all blind!" the dark-furred tom exclaimed. He glanced angrily at his three companions.

"We're leaving this place," Rowanclaw suddenly announced, stepping forward and glaring at Beechfur, as if daring him to protest. "We refuse to live in a place where everyone opposes Hawkstar's vision for the future."

The huge orange tabby tom narrowed his eyes and scoured the crowd. "Does anyone wish to join us."

There was silence. No one moved.

"Fine," he growled, before turning to the others. "Let's go."

With that, the four of them turned and stormed off towards the moors. No one said a word as they watched the warriors leave. Firepaw was glad most of Hawkstar's supporters had seen the light. He just hoped they wouldn't try anything when peace finally returned to the Clans.

"It's time we all split up once more!" Beechfur suddenly yowled, attracting the crowd's attention. The light brown tom was standing on a large rock, so everyone could see him.

"We must return to our original Clans. The borders will be the same as they were before all this mess, and you may only cross territories if you stay within two tail-lengths of the lake. Gatherings will be held at the full moon, and there shall be no fighting whatsoever. The same goes for medicine cat meetings at the half moon. Does everyone agree?"

There was a collective yowl of consent as Beechfur finished speaking. The tom smiled happily before leaping off his perch and joining the crowd once more.

"Let's go find our Clanmates," Nightpaw meowed, placing her tail on Firepaw's shoulder. "It's time we returned to ThunderClan."

Firepaw grinned broadly, and the two of them began making their way towards a group of ThunderClan cats milling about by the lake. TigerClan was no more. The four Clans had returned.

"This is so exciting!" meowed a nearby voice. Firepaw and Nightpaw turned to see Blackpaw grinning beside them as he leaned heavily on Leafpool's shoulder. Firepaw smiled.

"Yes, it's very exciting," he meowed. With that, the three of them, plus Leafpool, joined the crowd of ThunderClan cats, glad to finally be part of a true Clan once more.

"Nightpaw! Firepaw! Blackpaw!"

The siblings grinned at the sound of the familiar voice as Stormfur appeared in front of them, Brook and their kits by his side.

"I'm guessing you three managed to fulfill that prophecy of yours," the muscular gray tom meowed with a wink. Firepaw purred in amusement.

"You bet we did!" Blackpaw rasped. He suddenly began to cough, bending over with the force of it. Leafpool had to grab his scruff before he fell over and pull him back up again.

"Try not to talk too much," she meowed softly. "You've lost too much blood to be wasting energy like that."

Blackpaw nodded feebly and clamped his mouth shut.

"Let's go join the others," Stormfur meowed, sweeping his tail towards the other ThunderClan cats. "We don't want to be left behind."

The other three Clans had already begun to leave. Beechfur led RiverClan, Russetfur led ShadowClan, and Ashfoot led WindClan. ThunderClan, on the other hand, were leaderless. Ashfur was gone and Bramblestar was dead.

After a moment of stumbling about in confusion, the ThunderClan cats eventually organized themselves into a haphazard group and began marching towards the forest that was their true home. It was at that moment that Firepaw realized how important a leader and deputy were for a Clan. Without one, the warriors had no idea what to do with themselves. He could only hope that they would find a leader soon.

By the time the ThunderClan cats reached the edge of the stone hollow, the sun had fallen below the horizon, and night had plunged the forest into darkness. Firepaw couldn't believe how incredibly fast the day had passed, and yet how incredibly slow at the same time.

With a tired sigh, the ginger tom trudged into the apprentice's den and collapsed on an old pile of moss that was still there from Bramblestar's reign, too exhausted to put together a real nest. His last thought before he slipped into unconsciousness was one of happiness. Hawkstar was dead, there were four Clans instead of one, and peace had finally settled over the lake once more.


	26. Chapter 24

**Chapter 24**

**You guys are extremely lucky that this chapter is being posted now. x) I'm actually on vacation right now, and this is the only day that I'm getting extended computer access. So, I do apologize if this chapter seems extremely short and horrible, especially since this is the last chapter. My excuse is that I had to type it up in a couple hours, and on a different program than I usually use. Anyways, the sequel to this story, Assassins, probably won't be posted until October, or possibly before if I feel like it. I will post a notice on this story once the sequel is up, so remember to keep on checking for new chapters. :)**

**Honeyfern - I'm still not spoiling it. x) You'll just have to keep on reading.**

**Lightkit - Nope, he didn't! xD Yeah, he is a loser! Stormfur isn't going to be the leader - but he is going to be deputy. You'll just have to read this chapter to figure out who the leader is. ;)**

**Marshpelt - Thanks! Yeah, I know it probably wouldn't be that easy, but I didn't have much time to write the last chapter, and I didn't want to make it too long. I've seen stories where nobody reads or reviews the long chapters, but go crazy over the short ones, oddly enough. xD**

Nightpaw knew she was dreaming. Otherwise, she wouldn't be sitting in the center of Fourtrees as the stars fell out of the sky and formed a trail in front of her. The gray she-cat couldn't help but twitch with anticipation as she watched, knowing she was about to speak with a StarClan warrior. She had so many questions to ask them. Why didn't Hawkstar have nine lives? Was he in StarClan or the Place of No Stars? And most importantly, who was to become the new leader of ThunderClan?

As Nightpaw watched, two orange blobs appeared at the other end of the star trail and began to move towards her. As they grew closer and more defined, the apprentice recognized her grandfather and her mother.

"Firestar! Squirrelflight" Nightpaw cried in greeting as the two StarClan warriors stepped onto the ground. "I didn't think I would see you again after I got my body back."

Firestar sat down and smiled, curling his tail around his paws. "You have a connection with StarClan now, Nightpaw," he explained. "You can speak with us whenever you want."

"Wow," Nightpaw meowed wonderingly. "I guess I'm the only normal cat that can dream about StarClan."

"I could when I was a warrior," Firestar meowed. "But then again, nobody thought I was normal, either."

Nightpaw tilted her head to the side curiously. "How come?"

"Because he saved the forest from Tigerstar and BloodClan," Squirrelflight meowed proudly, glancing at her father. "No normal cat could ever do that."

Firestar rolled his eyes playfully. "Of course they could," he meowed, flicking Squirrelflight's ear with his tail. "Anybody could, if they really wanted to."

Squirrelflight snorted. "But none of them would have a prophecy to back them up."

Nightpaw couldn't help but twitch impatiently as her kin argued back and forth. She needed to ask Firestar about Hawkstar and ThunderClan's future, and her brothers would surely wake her if she slept in for too long.

"I think we should just settle this argument for now," Firestar meowed as he noticed the gray she-cat's expression. "Nightpaw has something to say."

The two starry warriors turned to look at her, and Nightpaw sighed in relief before bursting out, "What happened Hawkstar? How could he die so quickly? And who should be ThunderClan's new leader?"

Firestar chuckled. "One question at a time," he said with a smile. Nightpaw closed her mouth and watched the ginger tom attentively, waiting for his answers.

"Hawkstar died so easily because he never had nine lives - at least, not true ones," the former leader meowed solemnly. Nightpaw's jaw dropped.

"How?" she cried. "Is that even possible?"

Firestar sighed. "After the incident with Tigerstar, StarClan refused to give Hawkstar his nine lives. They weren't about to make the same mistake over again. So, Tigerstar gathered nine cats from the Dark Forest, and they gave him their lives instead."

Nightpaw's eyes widened so much they nearly bulged out of her head. This was almost too much to understand. "That doesn't explain why Hawkstar didn't get his nine lives," she meowed.

"Let me finish," Firestar said with a smile. "What Tigerstar and Hawkstar didn't realize, however, is that these lives were worthless in the eyes of StarClan. The cats of the Dark Forest were sent there for a reason - none of them are meant to meddle in the lives of the living. So, when the Twoleg shot Hawkstar, the nine lives he thought he had did nothing to save him. He died instantly, just like any normal warrior."

Nightpaw sat down and was silent for a moment, trying to take it all in. "Wow," she meowed finally before looking up at Firestar. "So he's in the Dark Forest right now?" she asked.

Firestar nodded. "He is. Hopefully he'll have enough sense to leave the living alone, unlike his father. If he does, both of them will have to suffer some severe consequences."

"What about ThunderClan's new leader?" Nightpaw asked. "Who should it be?"

Squirrelflight answered this time, a knowing glint in her eyes. "That is for ThunderClan to decide. Although I do think there is one obvious choice."

"Who?" the gray she-cat asked eagerly, standing up in her sudden excitement. Squirrelflight smiled.

"You need to figure that out for yourself," she said. Nightpaw groaned in frustration, but said no more.

"Is that all you wanted to ask us?" Firestar meowed. Nightpaw nodded.

"We'd best be going then," the orange tabby tom meowed. "If you ever have to talk to us, then all you have to do is fall asleep."

With that, the two StarClan warriors turned and began padding up the star path and into the sky. Nightpaw watched them wonderingly until they disappeared before laying down and closing her eyes.

Nightpaw opened her eyes in the waking world a moment later, her mind reeling from everything that she had learned. She had to tell her brothers about Hawkstar's nine lives, but when she looked up, their nests were empty.

_Great, _she thought. _I slept in again._

Her jaws stretching wide in a yawn, the young she-cat pulled herself to her feet and padded out into the clearing. The morning sun shone brightly down onto ThunderClan's camp, and there wasn't a cloud in sight. The only sign of the fierce storm that had ripped across the lake the day before were the still-damp patches of grass that glittered in the sun.

Nightpaw's eyes scoured the camp for her brothers, but neither of them were in sight. _They must have gone on patrol._

It amazed Nightpaw how quickly life had returned to normal. Brightheart and Cloudtail were sharing tongues outside the warrior's den, while Mousefur and Longtail sunned themselves on the rocks by Highledge. Sandstorm and Graystripe were eating together by the fresh-kill pile, and nearby Poppyleaf, Cinderheart and Birchfall were coming in from a hunting patrol.

"We need to choose a leader _now!_ We can't seem weak to the other Clans!"

Nightpaw's head whipped around at the sound of Thornclaw's loud voice, and she spotted him sitting in the center of the hollow with Stormfur, Sorreltail, Dustpelt, Spiderleg and Honeyfur around him. Twitching her whiskers curiously, Nightpaw wandered towards the group, trying to hear what they were saying.

"We can't choose a leader until StarClan sends us a sign," Stormfyr meowed calmly. "If we were in any immediate danger from the other Clans, then they already would have told us who our leader should be."

Sorreltail nodded in agreement. "I doubt any of the other Clans would even think about attacking us. Everyone's too shaken up from Hawkstar's reign."

"Of course they would think about attacking us!" Spiderleg growled, his fur bristling. "We're weaker than ever right now! We're injured from the battle, and we don't have a leader or a deputy! Who _wouldn't _want to attack us?"

"But StarClan-" Stormfur began, but was cut off by a familiar voice.

"StarClan wants us to choose our own leader." Leafpool meowed, pushing her way into the circle of cats and staring levelly at every cat, as if daring them to disagree.

"How do you know?" Honeyfur meowed timidly, obviously not wanting to speak up against the medicine cat.

"I asked them in a dream," the tabby she-cat meowed, curling her tail around her paws. "They told me it was up to the cats of ThunderClan to decide who their next leader would be."

Once again Nightpaw found herself thinking about what Squirrelflight had said. Who was the obvious choice to become leader that she spoke of. There weren't very many cats in the Clan that had the right kind of experience, or the patience, determination and sense of responsibility to lead them...

And then it clicked.

"I think it's obvious who our leader should be," she meowed, stepping into the circle. Every cat turned to look at her curiously, but she didn't falter under their gaze.

"There's only one cat here who already knows what it's like to lead a Clan," she stated simply. Most of them continued to stare at her, uncomprehending, but a spark of realization appeared in Stormfur's eyes.

"You mean...?" the golden-brown tom meowed, a smile appearing on his face. Nightpaw nodded, her expression mirroring his.

"Graystripe."

Suddenly, every cat's eyes widened in understanding. "Of course!" Thornclaw meowed loudly, his eyes wide with excitement at his realization. "How didn't we see it before.?"

Nightpaw grinned happily. Obviously every warrior in the group agreed with her choice. Looking around, she saw Leafpool smile at her, a proud glint in her amber eyes.

"We have to go tell Graystripe," Sorreltail exclaimed brightly. Every cat grinned in agreement, and they began to rush towards the unsuspecting tom, who was just finishing up his meal. As he saw the large group of cats running in his direction, his eyes widened and he glanced at Sandstorm, who was just as surprised.

"What's going on?" the gray tom called as everyone stopped in front of him.

"We want you to be our leader, Graystripe!" Thornclaw announced, stepping to the head of the group. Graystripe's eyes widened as he looked from face to eager face.

"Are you sure?" he meowed apprehensively. "Isn't it up to StarClan to decide?"

"StarClan told me that we should decide who our new leader will be," Leafpool explained, stepping forward. "And we chose you."

Graystripe looked even more surprised at this, but he didn't show it in his voice. "Does the rest of the Clan agree?"

That made everyone hesitate. "We don't know yet. We were the only ones talking about it," Stormfur admitted to his father.

"Well then let's find out," Graystripe meowed. "Stormfur, come with me." The gray tom flicked his tail, and he led Stormfur towards the Highledge. The two of them bounded up the tumble of rocks and onto the ledge and gazed about the hollow for a moment.

Nightpaw knew what was coming, and she padded towards the meeting area below the Highledge just as Graystripe called out the traditional words.

"All cats old enough to catch their own prey, gather here beneath the Highledge for a Clan meeting."

While his voice was still echoing against the stone walls of the camp, a patrol padded into the camp consisting of Firepaw, Blackpaw, Brackenfur and Millie. Firepaw and Blackpaw padded towards Nightpaw, their eyes flashing curiously.

"What's going on?" Blackpaw asked as he sat down next to his sister.

"You'll see," Nightpaw meowed impishly. Firepaw and Blackpaw stared at her apprehensively, but didn't say anything else.

Soon enough, every cat had gathered below the Highledge, muttering curiously to one another. The group of cats that had asked Graystripe to become leader were sitting in a group and staring up at the Highledge with eager expressions on their faces.

Up on the Highledge Graystripe muttered something to Stormfur, and the former RiverClan warrior stepped forward to face the Clan.

"We all know that we need a new leader," he began as the crowd listened intently below. "And StarClan has told Leafpool that we must decide who will lead us ourselves. A group of us were talking, and we agreed upon who the new leader should be. Now we want to know what the rest of you think about our choice."

The gray tom paused dramatically before asking loudly, "Do you think Graystripe should become ThunderClan's leader?"

There was a resounding yowl of agreement from the crowd below, and a triumphant smile spread across Nightpaw's face.

"Thank you," Graystripe meowed, taking Stormfur's place. "I promise to will lead this Clan as best as I can, and carry on the legacy that Firestar left behind."

The crowd yowled again as he stepped back, and a chant rose up from the watching cats.

"Graystripe! Graystripe! Graystripe!"

Firepaw and Blackpaw were staring at Nightpaw curiously once more. "Why do I have a feeling you had something to do with this?" Firepaw meowed.

Nightpaw grinned. "Oh, just a little bit."

--------------------------------------------------------------

The next day Nightpaw lay by the fresh-kill pile with her brothers, contentedly gulping down a mouse that she had caught earlier that day. The sun was already setting over the forest, but Leafpool and Graystripe still hadn't returned from the Moonpool. The Clan was beginning to grow worried.

"I wonder where Graystripe is," Blackpaw meowed to his siblings. "What if he didn't receive his real nine lives, just like Hawkstar, and that's why he hasn't come back."

Nightpaw had told Firepaw and Blackapw about her dream the day before, and they had both been just as shocked as her. None of them had known that Hawksar's lives weren't "true" lives - or that the cats of Dark Forest could give lives at all.

"I doubt it," Firepaw meowed. "Graystripe is nothing like Hawkstar. He's a good cat."

Nightpaw nodded in agreement. "You worry too much, Blackpaw," she meowed, flicking her tail across his ear. "Of course StarClan will give Graystripe nine lives. How could they not?"

Blackpaw sighed. "I guess you're right," he meowed, relaxing.

The three siblings finished off their prey, and lay sharing tongues by the fresh-kill pile until the first few stars began to appear in the sky. Nightpaw felt her eyelids drooping as she slowly groomed Firepaw's pelt. It had been a long few days, and she was still tired from the battle against Hawkstar.

Firepaw noticed her condition, realizing that he was just as tired himself. "Let's go to sleep," he meowed. "Somebody will wake us up when Graystripe gets back."

Blackpaw and Nightpaw nodded wearily, and they were about to get up and head towards the apprentice's den when Poppyleaf's voice echoed across the camp.

"Graystripe - no, Graystar! You're back!"

Nightpaw's eyes widened and she leaped to her feet. Sure enough, Graystar was padding through the gorse tunnel with Leafpool at his side. His coat gleamed, and he looked more alive than Nightpaw had ever seen him.

"What took you so long?" Nightpaw heard Dustpelt ask, and Graystar laughed in reply.

"All the leaders decided to receive their nine lives on the same day," he meowed. "I ended up having my ceremony last."

Nightpaw blinked in surprise. She doubted anything like that had ever happened before. She actually felt sorry for the StarClan warriors, having to attend so many ceremonies in one day.

While she was lost in her thoughts, Graystar leaped up onto the Highledge and gazed out across the crowd. He had no need to call a meeting, as every cat had already gathered below him and were staring up at him expectantly.

"I believe it is time for me to name the new deputy," he announced, a smile crossing his face. Silverpelt twinkled brightly above, as if they had already approved of his choice, and the moon bathed the hollow in silver. Nightpaw couldn't help but shiver in anticipation. Tonight was an important night, and it would shape ThunderClan's future for a long time to come.

"I say these words before the spirits of StarClan, so that they may hear and approve my choice," Graystar began, turning his gaze to the sky above. "Stormfur will be the new deputy of ThunderClan."

Nightpaw grinned happily and let out a yowl of agreement, along with many other cats. She truly believed that Stormfur was the best choice for deputy.

As the Clan called out their congratulations, Stormfur joined Graystar on the Highledge once more, a happy, surprised smile on his face. "I am honored to serve as your deputy, Graystar. I promise that I will serve this Clan to the best of my abilities, and that I will be the best deputy that I can be."

Nightpaw surged forward with the crowd to congratulate her friend, Firepaw and Blackpaw by her side. Once they had paid their respects to the new deputy, they turned towards the apprentice's den, only to freeze when Graystar spoke again.

"Before you leave," the new ThunderClan leader meowed. "I have one more ceremony to perform. Firepaw, Nightpaw, Blackpaw, step forward."

Nightpaw's eyes widened in amazement, and she padded disbelievingly towards Graystar, who had jumped down from the Highledge to perform the ceremony.

"I call upon my ancestors to look down upon these apprentices. They have trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend them to you as warriors in their turn."

Nightpaw shivered in anticipation as Graystar turned to the three new warriors and continued with the next part of the ceremony. "Firepaw, Nightpaw, Blackpaw, do you promise to protect and defend this Clan, even at the cost of your lives?"

"I do," all three of them meowed, puffing out their chests with pride.

"Then by the powers of StarClan I give you your warrior names. Firepaw, from this moment on you will be known as Fireblaze. StarClan honors your intelligence and your modesty, and we welcome you as a full warrior of ThunderClan."

"Blackpaw, from this moment on you will be known as Blackstorm. StarClan honors your courage and your strength, and we welcome you as a full warrior of ThunderClan."

Graystar turned to Nightpaw, and she nearly started hopping from paw to paw in her excitement. "Nightpaw, from this moment on you will be known as Nightfrost. StarClan honors your bravery and your determination, and we welcome you as a full warrior of ThunderClan."

Nightfrost felt ready to burst from pride as Graystar placed his muzzle on her head and ran her tongue along his shoulder._ Nightfrost! _she thought, a huge grin splitting across her face.

Nightfrost's grin grew even wider as the Clan began to chant the new warrior's names. For now, everything was good in the world. She and her brothers were finally warriors, there were four Clans instead of one, and Hawkstar was dead, never to bring his wrath upon the cats of the lake ever again.


	27. Sequel Notice

**ASSASSINS IS UP! :D**

**I know I said the sequel would be posted in October, but I grew extremely bored without my writing, especially at the end of August when I had absolutely nothing to do. The result of that is the completion of the Assassins' Allegiances, Prologue and Chapter 1, and the halfway completion of Chapter 2. I won't be posting Chapter 1 for awhile now, so I can give myself time finish the second chapter and leave you guys in suspense.**

**The downside to all of this is that I just started high school, and even though it's only the second day, I've already had loads of homework and a science test coming up on Monday. So, if my writing goes a bit slower than it did during The Bramble and the Hawk, don't blame me - blame my school.**

**Anyways, for all of you that have been asking, there will be a bit about Nightfrost and Breezepelt's relationship - or should I say ex-relationship? - in Assassins. There will also be another pairing including either Fireblaze or Blackstorm. My challenge to you is to find the hints before I make it too obvious. Do you think you're up to it? x)**

**I really can't thank you guys enough for making this story such a huge success. In the end, it all added up to 26 chapters, 53 016 words, 8 265 hits, 40 faves, 23 alerts, 2 C2s, and 202 reviews. You guys rock!**

**So, to wrap this little note up, here's a preview of **_**Assassins, Chapter 1**_** for you all to enjoy. (:**

"Shhhh," she hissed. "Do you hear that?"

Blackstorm froze and his ears swivelled towards the area where Nightfrost was pointing. Sure enough, the loud screeches and yowls of battle were drifting towards him on the wind, making his fur stand on end.

"WindClan must be attacking."


End file.
